KUCHING: National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) 2024 Award recipient, James Alexander Ritchie, who passed away at the age of 74, will be laid to rest on Tuesday.
According to his only daughter, Rebekah Dawn Ba’o Ritchie, a funeral service will be held at St Thomas’ Church here.
“My father’s wake will be at the St Thomas’s multipurpose hall B.
“The funeral service will be on Tuesday before departing to Nirvana for cremation and should begin at 9:45 am,” she told Sarawak Tribune when contacted.
Rebekah also shared that her late father drew his final breath on May 3 at 11:45 am.
“We have yet to obtain the full medical report, but the initial assessment by the doctor suggests it may have been a heart attack.
“My father passed away peacefully. He leaves behind me, my mother, and my daughter,” she said.
James was born on June 26 1950 at No. 1, Burmah Road, George Town, Penang.
He began his journalism career in 1971 as a part-time sports writer for Straits Times in Melaka, and went on to hold various roles in journalism over the next five decades.
Between 1973 and 1977, he served as a cadet journalist for the Straits Times in Kuala Lumpur, reporting on sports, general news and crime.
He was later appointed New Straits Times (NST) correspondent for Negeri Sembilan (1977-1979) before moving to Sarawak as a senior NST journalist from 1981 to 1997.
His contributions extended beyond journalism.
From 1998 to 2000, he joined the Sarawak Chief Minister’s Department as a Public Relations Officer, and later served as a media consultant for various agencies, including See Hua Daily News, The Borneo Post and Sarawak Tribune.
He was also active in advancing the journalism profession in Sarawak, having served as secretary of the Kuching Reporters Fellowship, the Federation of Sarawak Journalists, and president of the Sportswriters Association.
James was the founder of the Sarawak Union of Journalists and served as editor of Sarawak Digest, the official bulletin of Parti Kebangsaan Sarawak (SNAP).
He also sat on the editorial board of the Sarawak Gazette and coordinated the publication of the Sarawak Book of Records (2000).
Throughout his life, he wrote, edited and published over 40 books covering politics, history, culture and notable Sarawakian personalities.
His works include ‘Bujang Senang: Raja Buaya’, ‘Tun Ahmad Zaidi – Son of Sarawak’, ‘The Legacy of Adenan Satem’ and ‘Bruno Manser: The Inside Story’.
He was well known for his deep explorations into Sarawak’s indigenous communities, including the Iban, Penan, Lun Bawang, Kenyah and Kayan.
He frequently ventured into remote and mountainous areas of Borneo to produce in-depth features with historical and anthropological perspectives.
As a crime journalist, James made a name for himself with exclusive national-level coverage, including the death of Deputy Prime Minister, Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman (1973), the assassination of Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Hashim (1974), the attack on KL CID Chief, Supt Kulasingam, by Botak Chin, and the Japanese Red Army hostage crisis at the U.S. Embassy (1975).
These reports not only outpaced his competitors but also earned him several awards, including three Shell Kenyalang Gold Awards and the Sarawak Media Personality Award (2020).
At age 68, he continued to win journalism awards, a testament to his enduring skill and dedication.
James obtained his Senior Cambridge certificate from Sultan Abdul Hamid College, and later pursued HSC studies at St Thomas’ School in Kuching.
In 2002, he was awarded a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication from Atlantic International University in Hawaii, USA.
His passing marks a great loss not just for Sarawak’s media fraternity, but for Malaysia as a whole.
His contributions went far beyond journalism – he helped document the history, culture and voices of local communities that were often overlooked.
The veteran journalist, prolific writer, thinker and historical chronicler leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire generations to come.
