M'sian Fabian Dawson is first Asian to win Canada's top journalism award

PETALING JAYA: Fabian Dawson, a Malaysian journalist who started his career with the local newspapers, has been named a recipient of a top North America journalism award.

He will receive Canada's Bruce Hutchison Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's Jack Webster Awards.

Dawson is the first Asian to win the award, which is among the highest journalism accolades in Canada.

The award recognises the careers of reporters and editors in Canada who have achieved distinction in their communities for work of long-lasting significance, clarity, fairness and innovation.

"I am a product of Malaysian journalism, having worked with some of the best here," Dawson told The Star.

"And I have always used what I learned in Canada. For that, I will be eternally grateful for what my homeland gave me."

He said Malaysians were instilled with a desire to excel wherever they were and whatever they did.

Born and raised in Malaysia, Dawson, went to Canada in 1988 to work. Prior to that, he was with the New Straits Times, Malay Mail and Malaysian Business.

"I am humbled and honoured to be given the award. It’s indeed a privilege to be the first Asian to win this award."

"I guess it’s fitting that I am in Malaysia as this news breaks, the birthplace of my journalism career," he said.

Dawson has been a journalist for more than four decades. He was the deputy editor-in-chief of The Province newspaper in Vancouver and editor of Vancouverdesi.com, then Canada's largest South Asian news portal.

He serves as the editorial advisor to the Vancouver-based South Asian Post, Asian Pacific Post and Filipino Post newspapers as well the Market One Media Group and several publications in Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, India, Singapore, the Philippines and England.

Dawson’s work, particularly in India, has led to the creation of four documentary films and a made-for-TV movie.

He had also won numerous Canadian and American newspaper awards, including Daniel Pearl Award for an investigative series, Abandoned Brides: Canada's Shame, India's Sorrow, in 2006.

He is also a regular on TV and radio talk shows and is a guest lecturer at various schools of journalism.

Dawson is currently working on a Netflix series based on his investigative journalism.