KOTA KINABALU: The Star secured two gold awards and a merit at this year's Kinabalu Press Awards (KPA) 2026 for reporting on rural communities, sports and environmental issues in Sabah.
The accolades were won by journalist Rebecca Chong, who clinched gold in the News Reporting Award (Non-Feature) category for "No Signal, More Life" and the Sports Journalism Award category for "Never Too Late to Fight for Gold."
She also received a merit award in the Environmental Journalism category for her three-part series, "Slopes on the Brink."
"No Signal, More Life" explored life in Kampung Keniogan, a remote island village off Beluran, where residents adapted to weeks without mobile connectivity while relying on close community ties.
Meanwhile, "Never Too Late to Fight for Gold" chronicled the inspiring journey of Sandakan grandmother Lily Khong Chow Fah, who discovered a passion for taekwondo while accompanying her grandchildren to class and went on to win four gold medals within a year.
The "Slopes on the Brink" series examined landslide risks and unstable slopes in Sandakan and across Sabah, highlighting the need for stronger monitoring and disaster preparedness measures.
The awards were presented during the Kinabalu Press Awards 2026 ceremony here on Saturday (June 13).
In a speech delivered by Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor urged media practitioners to continue upholding accuracy and factual integrity despite rapid changes brought about by digital transformation, social media and artificial intelligence (AI).
While technological advances have opened up new opportunities for news dissemination and helped journalists with routine tasks, he said accuracy and fact verification must never be compromised in the pursuit of speed.
"While the speed of news delivery remains important, accuracy and factual integrity must never be compromised," he said.
Hajiji also commended media practitioners for their dedication, saying he had personally witnessed journalists working long hours, pursuing stories from different angles and ensuring reports were delivered accurately and with integrity.
He expressed hope that the awards would continue to inspire journalists to produce high-quality journalism that benefits the public.
Also present were Sabah Journalists Association president Mariah Doksil and Malaysian Press Institute president Datuk Yong Soo Heong.
