KiniTV reporter shortlisted for Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award

KiniTV reporter Yap Si Err, 29, has been shortlisted among the top 12 journalists competing for this year’s Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award.

The multimedia journalist from Malaysiakini’s video arm was selected for her five-part investigation into how criminals exploit social media to distribute and trade child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The award recognises journalism that is revelatory, sparks public debate, and has led - or could lead - to positive social change.

According to Thomson Foundation’s announcement yesterday, 217 journalists from 56 countries entered this year’s competition. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London in November.

Yap’s CSAM investigation was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Network and was published from July onwards this year.

READ MORE: The invisible network behind Malaysia’s child sexual abuse materials industry

Her work has also extended beyond the investigation. In partnership with Unicef Malaysia, she helped conduct a training session for journalists and editors on reporting CSAM ethically and responsibly, with emphasis on minimising harm and preventing secondary trauma.

Her findings were also incorporated into a youth workshop on digital resilience, online safety, and the role young people can play in creating safer online environments.

Previously, former Malaysiakini reporter Wong Kai Hui won the 2021 Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award for her reporting on the Pahang royalty’s involvement in Lynas’ permanent disposal facility (PDF) project in Bukit Ketam, Kuantan.

Following Wong’s report, Pahang regent Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah divested his 50 percent stake in the company hired to build the PDF, while the Environment Department instructed Lynas to seek a new site.

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