NST Special Probes Team’s ʻKiller Cosmetics’ expose wins Health Ministry award
Coverage of ‘Killer Cosmetics’ judged the best
THE New Straits Times Special Probes Team came out tops at the Health Ministry’s Media Awards last night for its coverage of “Killer Cosmetics”.
The team, comprising NST news editor Farrah Naz Karim and journalist Aliza Shah, took home RM3,000.
The team’s series of exposés on the issue that had been plaguing the consumer market saw them working with the ministry on covert operations.
The exhaustive coverage also saw amendments to laws made to better regulate the cosmetics industry, particularly players in the small- and medium-sized enterprises industry.
NST journalist Tharanya Arumugam won the consolation prize for her story on mental health affecting Malaysians.
Berita Harian reporters Osman Lisut, Halina Mohd Noor and Ilah Hafiz Aziz also took home the main prize for the Best Malay Language newspaper for its coverage of the dangers of VitaminC injection.
BH also took home a consolation prize for their coverage of fake Stevia.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya presented the awards.
Present were Malaysian Press Institute chairman Datuk Dr Chamil Wariya and Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
MPI received 346 entries for this year’s Health Media Awards.
Farrah Naz, who is also NST Special Probes editor, said the team had and would continue to pursue and expose issues that directly impacted the masses.
Dr Hilmi, in his opening speech, said the media played a role in channelling accurate information, especially on the importance of healthcare, to the public.
“Healthcare is the responsibility of every individual.
“The media plays an important role in providing information to the public to increase awareness of the importance of healthcare,” he said, adding that this would prevent communicable diseases.
Information provided by the media, he said, encouraged the public to participate in health programmes organised by the ministry.
“When the media channels information on health, it also indirectly influences public to participate in our healthcare programmes and support the ministry’s new policies,” he said.