The Star bags four awards for cyber security coverage, exclusives

(left to right): Star Media Group chief content officer Esther Ng, R.AGE journalist Samantha Chow, Sunday Star reporter Yuen Meikeng, and Star Media Group editor Philip Golingai with the Cyber Security awards in Putrajaya.

PUTRAJAYA: The Star Media Group has clinched four awards for its cyber security coverage and exclusives at a ceremony honouring local media here on Tuesday (Aug 7).

The Star received the Most Supportive Online Media 2017 and the Most Supportive Print (Newspaper) Media 2017 awards, with Sunday Star reporter Yuen Meikeng, 33, and Samantha Chow, 28, from R.AGE, picking up the Most Supportive Journalist 2017 awards, from CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM)

CSM is an agency under the theMinistry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change.

On the awards, Yuen said she was “happy, honoured and thankful” for the award and added that she hopes the public would continue to arm themselves with knowledge on how to protect themselves online especially with cyber crimes growing and evolving.

Chow added that since 2016, R.AGE has been pushing for digital safety as part of the Predator In My Phone campaign.

“We recently launched a sexual and reproductive health chat bot named ‘Ana’ for teens and parents.

“We are happy to have the efforts recognised as it’s a way to draw attention to the importance of digital safety as part of the overall child protection efforts.”

The Star Media Group chief content officer Esther Ng said the cyber security threat was very real, but added that many were unaware of it.

“As a responsible content provider, our job to alert and inform. It means so much to be recognised for our efforts.”

CSM’s chairman of the board of directors General (Rtd) Tan Sri Mohd Azumi Mohamed, who presented the awards, said from 2016 to July this year, 21,795 reports on cyber security threats were received.

“That’s why it’s everybody’s responsibility to do something. We cannot just leave it to the IT people.”

During the event, several Malaysian organisations and business were also awarded security certifications and validations.

This is also the third consecutive year the Star Media Group’s reporters were named Most Supportive Journalist.

Last year, the award was presented to chief reporter Christina Chin while technology editor M. Madhavan won it in 2016.