Malaysiakini ’s interview with two winners of the maiden Selangorkini literary prize was supposed to be about the fruits of their success, but instead it turned into a tale of disappointment and anger at how they were treated by the organisers.

“It felt like we are beggars,” said Roslan Jomel, the winner for the main category of the Selangorkini 2015 Literary Prize, for his work titled ‘Telefilem’.

The reason behind their discontent is perhaps easy to understand, as all winners of the main awards and consolation prizes have yet to receive the cash prizes promised by the state government...