Malaysian wins top journalism award in Canada

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian Fabian Dawson (pic), a journalist who started his career in the local newspapers, is a recipient of a top journalism award in Canada.

Dawson, from Klang, is the first Asian to win the award which recognises those making a contribution to journalism in British Columbia.

“I am a product of Malaysian journalism, having worked with some of the best here,” said Dawson.

“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.

Dawson, who moved to Canada in 1988, said Malaysians are instilled with a desire to excel wherever they are and whatever they do.

“I am humbled and honoured to be given the award. It’s indeed a privilege to be the first Asian to win this award,” 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 was also editor of Vancouverdesi.com, then Canada’s largest South Asian news portal.

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

His work, particularly in India, has led to the creation of four documentaries and a made-for-TV movie.He has also won numerous Canadian and American newspaper awards, including the Daniel Pearl Award for an investigative series, Abandoned Brides: Canada’s Shame, India’s Sorrow, in 2006.

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

Source: TheStar