KUCHING — Veteran journalist James Alexander Ritchie, fondly known as James Ritchie, has died at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) today. He was 75.
His passing was confirmed by former Sarawak State Assembly Speaker and family member, Datuk Seri Robert Jacob Ridu.
“We are saddened to inform you that veteran journalist James Ritchie, who is also a family member, has gone to be with the Lord. He passed away peacefully at SGH today. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” he said in a brief statement to the media here.
James was the recipient of the 2024 National Journalists’ Day (Hawana) Award, presented to him by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in recognition of his decades-long service to Malaysian journalism.
His career, which began in 1971, spanned over five decades.
Starting as a cadet reporter with The Straits Times in Kuala Lumpur at the age of 23, James steadily rose through the ranks, becoming a prominent figure in Sarawak’s media landscape.
Over the years, he held various key positions, including Sarawak correspondent for the New Straits Times in 1981, public relations officer at the Sarawak Chief Minister’s Department in 1998, and media consultant for Sarawak Digest in 2022.
He also served as a special writer for the Sarawak Tribune (2022), editorial advisor and executive director of Eastern Times (2006), and executive director at the New Sarawak Tribune (2010).
James’s remarkable contributions to journalism earned him several accolades throughout his career, including the Shell Kenyalang Gold Award, AZAM Press Award, and the Ang Lai Soon Gold Award. — May 3, 2025