ST’s multimedia story on stateless individuals bags top prize at SPH journalism awards

SINGAPORE – Two months after The Straits Times featured him in a multimedia report about stateless individuals and the challenges they face, Mr Ricqo Rafiezuwan

became a permanent resident in Singapore.

The 25-year-old also

landed a job as an operation executive

after more than 80 people contacted ST and the family service centre that supports him to offer their help.

For the impact that their work had on Mr Rafiezuwan, and for raising awareness about the plight of stateless individuals here, the team behind the multimedia story bagged the inaugural Editor-in-Chief Award at SPH Media’s annual English, Malay and Tamil Media (EMTM) Group awards ceremony on April 4.

The team, which also took home ST’s Story of the Year prize, comprises former ST journalist Wong Shiying, 28; senior executive producers Ong Swee Lin, 51, and Jamie Koh, 50; executive producer Azim Azman, 38; and executive photojournalists Gavin Foo, 45, and Ng Sor Luan, 46.

Ms Ong, who produced the video on

Mr Rafiezuwan’s story,

said they are grateful to have had the chance to positively impact the life of a “remarkable young man”, and thankful for his trust in them.

Added Mr Azim, who also worked on the video: “It was humbling to see his story resonate with so many people. The outpouring of support was a great reminder that our work can make a difference.”

Mr Wong Wei Kong, editor-in-chief of SPH Media’s EMTM Group, said the Editor-in-Chief Award recognises the group’s best journalism for the year in terms of excellence, impact and in representing the purpose and intent of the newsroom to connect with its audience.

The new award was introduced under a refreshed format for the annual journalism prizes, which also saw each newsroom in the EMTM Group – ST, The Business Times, Berita Harian, Tamil Murasu, Tech in Asia and SPH Radio – crown their own winners for three top prizes.

ST’s US bureau chief Bhagyashree Garekar and correspondent Elisha Tushara were jointly recognised as this paper’s Journalist of the Year.

As ST’s correspondent in the United States, Ms Garekar travelled for some seven months across the country – from New Hampshire to Wisconsin – to capture ground sentiments ahead of the

presidential election in November 2024.

The 56-year-old’s reporting attracted the attention of global thought leaders and enhanced ST’s – and even Singapore’s – reputation, her editors said.

For instance, senior fellow Carla Robbins from the Council on Foreign Relations lauded ST’s coverage of the US presidential election for being “incredibly ambitious” and “in-depth” in a podcast by the New York City-based think-tank.

Ms Garekar, who was ST’s foreign editor from 2020 to 2023, said her cross-country coverage was a “dream assignment”, and added that she was very thankful to her bosses for their support.

“It was important that we could take the readers behind the scenes and give them a sense of the diversity of views in the US by moving from place to place and understanding what voters in different areas are thinking about.”

ST’s other Journalist of the Year, Ms Tushara, 42, had produced a series of scoops as a correspondent on the education beat, such as

changes to flexi-work schemes for teachers.

Tapping her experience and contacts as a former secondary school teacher of 13 years, Ms Tushara also broke the news that a canteen vendor shortage

prompted some schools to introduce automated meal dispensers

stocked with pre-packed meals.

Ms Tushara, who made the switch to journalism in 2023 when she joined ST, said: “I’m very humbled to be receiving the award and also very thankful to people in the newsroom who taught me about news writing.”

ST editor Jaime Ho said: “It was not easy for us to decide between the two winners this year because of the work that they have both done. We’re proud to recognise them jointly as they demonstrate the wide impact of The Straits Times’ work both in Singapore and globally.”

He added that while Ms Garekar’s coverage of the US in 2024 showed that ST’s reporting can make an impact with just one person on the ground, Ms Tushara’s deep reportage on the local education beat has shaped discussion on important issues.

ST’s Young Journalist of the Year award went to photojournalist Shintaro Tay.

His editors said Mr Tay, 29, is a “dynamic storyteller” capable of blending his photography with text and videos to tell compelling narratives. For instance, he wrote and took photographs for the story on the

closure of the iconic Thambi Magazine Store

in Holland Village in May 2024.

Mr Tay, who joined ST in 2022, said: “It means a lot for a photojournalist like me to be recognised for my work across different mediums. We often work behind the scenes trying to tell the story through our photos. But we can write and produce our own stories too.”

Winners at this year’s SPH EMTM annual awards:

Editor-in-Chief Award of the Year

The Straits Times

Berita Harian

The Business Times

Tech in Asia

SPH Radio

Tamil Murasu