A joy to be back ‘home’ at the Sarawak Tribune

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“Why journalism? When students learn to make sense out of their world, they become the people who will transform it.” – John Spencer, American writer

I wrote this ‘thank you’ note to Dato Dr Jeniri Amir, CEO of Sarawak Tribune (ST) and Suara Sarawak, on May 1, a day after I conducted a journalism session for his media team in Kuching.

“Brother Jeniri, thank you for inviting me “home” to The Sarawak Tribune. It was a pleasure to meet your team members and I can only say that you have assembled an excellent group of young and senior journalists to see Sarawak Tribune through the years ahead.

“I hope that my sharing at the session has been useful in some ways and that our budding journos have learnt something new to take home.

“Once again, thanks for your invitation. May The One Above bless all of us and our loved ones”.

Indeed, it was a joyful experience to go back “home” to The Sarawak Tribune, even if it was only for a day. I had spent more than a decade as a staff correspondent, sub-editor and editor at the Tribune from 1979-1992.

Although it was not physically going home to the old Sarawak Tribune office in Jalan Abell, Padungan, it was meeting the full team members of The Sarawak Tribune and Suara Sarawak, including the CEO himself, at the session that makes it feel like returning to my old home ground.

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Jeniri has informed me earlier that 45 of his editors, reporters and interns would attend my session, and I guess that was about the full editorial strength in his stable. That’s double my editorial team at the Sarawak Tribune when I was editor more than three decades ago.

The ST office has since moved to the Matang area and although the event was held at the State Library in Petra Jaya, meeting the full ST team felt much like going ‘home’ to my former workplace too.

As a senior citizen today, seeing a new generation continuing the work you were once part of brings a deep sense of pride. It reinforces the idea that you contributed to something lasting – an organisation, culture, or set of practices that lives on and evolves.

Returning often comes with appreciation from ex-colleagues and even from new staff who’ve heard of your role or impact. There’s a quiet dignity in being remembered or regarded as a foundational figure, even if informally.

After having worked in several publications in Sarawak, Sabah and Malaya, I still treasure the years I’ve spent at ST the most. The Sarawak Tribune is not just a newspaper; it is a Sarawak institution.

Established in 1945, ST is much older than me and I believe, many of its readers too today. Those of my generation, particularly those in Kuching, grew up with The Sarawak Tribune.

From my interaction with the new ST team, it’s satisfying to see what has changed and what has remained. Change shows progress, while continuity shows respect for what was. Both can be gratifying in different ways.

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I was very happy to learn that the younger reporters are full of enthusiasm in the pursuit of excellence in their craft. With enthusiasm come fresh ideas, different perspectives and new visions.

Engaging with the younger set of journalists can be energising, reminding you of your own early career days and reigniting your passion or curiosity.

While a senior may have wisdom to share, there’s also a chance to learn from the new team’s approaches, technologies, or ways of thinking. It can be a two-way exchange that is both humbling and enriching.

It is precisely for this reason that before I take on a speaking engagement, I would send questions to the participants first asking them what they would want to learn and telling them to open up on their flaws and weaknesses in their work.

It has been my practice to do that because I would prefer to conduct a class of interaction and sharing between the teacher and students rather than the teacher feeding the class with stuff which they would probably have known before.

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Here, let me take this opportunity to thank all the reporters and interns who responded to my queries. I want them to know that I will treasure and value their honesty and sincerity as they open up on their needs, weaknesses and aspirations.

I am particularly delighted to know that many of the younger reporters and interns were generous with accolades for their seniors who have helped and guided them in their careers. This is the way to go to build a solid team of journos working in camaraderie to produce a newspaper which is the pride of the community.

To senior ST staffer Adeline Liong and reporter Neville Timothy Sanders, thank you for writing about our April 30 session in your column and highlighting the main pointers I’ve shared with the class.

Whether my interaction and sharing have been useful or not, I will leave it to the participants to do the talking.

But I’m grateful for this reply from CEO Jeniri to my thank you note: “Thanks to you as well, brother, for your willingness to share your experience and knowledge with our reporters and interns. Your sharing definitely has been useful to them. Kind regards.”


DISCLAIMER:

The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com.

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