Veteran Journalist Emin Madi Says Receiving PGDK Award Great Honour For Him And Bernama
KOTA KINABALU, June 21 (Bernama) – Veteran journalist Datuk Emin Madi, who is also a stringer with the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Sabah bureau, described the Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK) award he received today as a significant recognition for himself in the world of journalism.
Emin, 75, said the PGDK, which carries the title 'Datuk' is also seen as a very high recognition from the Sabah government to Bernama as a whole, especially the Sabah bureau staff who operate in the state.
"I am very grateful, and thankful, to the state government for this award to journalists in Sabah. I believe many more journalists and writers deserve an award like this," he said to Bernama here today.
Emin was met after the 2025 Sabah State Honours and Awards investiture ceremony held at Istana Seri Kinabalu today (June 21) where 60 individuals received their respective awards conferred by Yang Dipertua Negeri Sabah Tun Musa Aman.
Also present at the event was Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and a line-up of state government leaders.
Apart from Emin, two other Bernama Sabah bureau staff members, namely the head of the bureau, Fadzli Ramli, who was awarded the Ahli Darjah Kinabalu (ADK), and Sabah bureau photographer Zamain Singkui, who was awarded the Bintang Setia Kinabalu (BSK), will receive their awards in the next session (of the ceremony), the date of which is yet to be confirmed.
Born in Tambunan on Nov 29, 1949, Emin began his career as a journalist in the 1970s before becoming an editor at a local newspaper, "The Sabah Times", and served as the press secretary to the former Minister of Land and Cooperative Development, Tan Sri Kasitah Gaddam.
Emin, a father of two, has been with Bernama since the 1990s and has written various articles in both Malay and English, as well as novels including "Salarom" and "The Green Gold of Borneo".
"Salarom" won third place in the Sayembara Penulisan Novel Sempena 50 Tahun Merdeka competition, organised by Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka, in 2007 where there were no first- or second-place winners. The novel was published in 2008.
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