It’s UN Malaysia recognition for R.AGE
Award a launchpad to do more hard-hitting stories
KUALA LUMPUR: Efforts by The Star’s young journalists at R.AGE to make a difference has won recognition once again when the team clinched the United Nations Malaysia 2016 award.
Getting the gold standard for documentary reporting, R.AGE edged out stiff nationwide competition to be declared the winner at the 71st UN Day launch yesterday.
“The team at R.AGE fully embodies what this year’s UN Malaysia award is all about.
“They have empowered themselves to play a strong role in transforming Malaysia into a better place for all, especially young people and vulnerable groups,” said the body’s resident coordinator for Malaysia, Michelle GylesMcDonnough.
She also lauded R.AGE’s impressive undercover investigation on child sex predators through their documentary Predator in My Phone, which has garnered over 1.5 million views, describing their work as “invaluable”.
“I’m indebted to them for the effort they put into it, not just in Malaysia, because their voice goes all over the world.
“It has really reached their audience, even gaining attention from the Parliament and action has been taken in response to the issues they highlighted,” she told journalists after the event.
The team’s editor and executive producer, Ian Yee, said their goal is to shed light on social issues that are most often kept under wraps and to empower the youth to push for change.
“We’re very honoured and flattered that the UN would give such a prestigious award to a team of wacky journalists like us.
“As an editor, I’d like to thank my team for their hard work and dedication but as a father, I’d like to thank them from the bottom of my heart for putting themselves in harm’s way just so my son, and other children, can grow up in a better place,” he said.
Yee said the UN award is a launchpad that allows his team to pursue more hardhitting stories on social issues.
“It’s always about finding new ways to connect young people to important issues and help them realise what’s going on in the world in a balanced and informative way,” said Yee.
He also said his team is able to deliver due to support from the Star Media Group.
Social activist Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, who was also present, lauded their bravery.
“I think their win is fantastic and I’m glad they’re being recognised for their work, especially because they’re young people and they seem to be bolder and braver than some adult journalists, I think,” she said.
The team has gotten other accolades in the past.
R.AGE’s The Curse of Serawan, a documentary piece on the mysterious deaths of orang asli children in Perak, bagged the silver medal at the Asian Media Awards 2016 in March.
The Elephant In Our Room, which depicted struggles faced by the orang asli with wild elephants within the Royal Belum State Park in Perak, then clinched the Silver Kinabalu Award at the 2016 Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival in July.
They also snapped up the top prize as World Young Reader News Publisher of the year last month.