Brigadier General Fairoz Hassan and Co-Founder of Meja Conteng Nur Aisyah Lyana Mohamed Satria named Berita Harian Achievers of the Year 2025

Singapore, 7 November 2025 – Berita Harian (BH), the flagship Malay language daily of SPH Media, has named Brigadier General (BG) Fairoz Hassan as BH’s Achiever of the Year (Anugerah Jauhari Berita Harian), and co-founder of youth writing collective Meja Conteng, Nur Aisyah Lyana Mohamed Satria, as BH’s Young Achiever of the Year (Anugerah Jauhari Harapan Berita Harian).

Back for the 27^th year, the annual awards recognise and celebrate the contributions of outstanding individuals in the Malay/Muslim community. The recipients received the awards from Guest-of-Honour Mr Chan Chun Sing, Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence, at a ceremony held this evening at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore. 

Berita Harian Achiever of the Year 2025

The BH Achiever of the Year award honours exemplary organisations or individuals aged 31 and above, who have made a significant impact in their field. This award was given to BG Fairoz Hassan, 46, a transformative military leader with a distinguished military career for close to three decades, marked by operational excellence, strategic leadership, and extensive global humanitarian service. 

BG Fairoz currently holds dual appointments of Commander, 9^th Singapore Division (9 DIV), and Chief Infantry Officer, and is the second Malay/Muslim officer in the history of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to attain the rank of Brigadier General. 

BG Fairoz has consistently demonstrated unwavering commitment to the call of duty, including the coordination of major national events such as the SG50 National Day Parade and crucial international deployments. He has notably served as a United Nations liaison officer during the 2005 Banda Aceh Tsunami Relief and the 2015 Nepal Earthquake Relief, affirming his belief that military service is fundamentally about “doing the things that really matter”.

BG Fairoz said, “Be the best among anybody else and you own every single thing that happens and does not happen in your unit. This award is not a reflection of what I have achieved, but a reflection of the village that has raised me — my family, friends, and colleagues — who have helped me grow to be who I am today.”

Mr Nazry Mokhtar, Editor of BH, said, “BG Fairoz represents the pinnacle of service and leadership within the community. His achievements in national defence, coupled with his commitment to humanitarian missions, embody the values that the Berita Harian Achiever of the Year seeks to champion. He is a source of great pride for the community.”

Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Co-Chair of BH Achiever of the Year 2025 judging panel, said, “BG Fairoz is a good example of what we are looking for. We know it is not easy to be part of the Singapore Armed Forces and they demand the best. BG Fairoz has risen to that expectation.”

Berita Harian Young Achiever of the Year 2025

The BH Young Achiever of the Year award recognises individuals aged 30 and below, with the passion to strive for success and contribute significantly to society. This year, the award was presented to Ms Nur Aisyah Lyana Mohamed Satria, 28, who was recognised for her extraordinary resilience and contribution to the literary scene.

Having experienced a challenging upbringing and becoming the primary provider for her three younger siblings after her mother was hospitalised and her father suffered a stroke, Ms Aisyah still graduated with First Class Honours in Global Studies and Malay Studies from the National University of Singapore and has since become a literary powerhouse.

Ms Aisyah is a two-time winner of the National Poetry Competition in 2020 and 2024 and a recipient of the prestigious Batul Izzuddin Global Citizen Prize. She co-founded Meja Conteng in 2024, a youth writing collective that actively uses arts as a tool to advocate for social issues and has successfully raised funds for scholarships.

Ms Aisyah said, “I saw the lack of platforms for Malay youth writers, and I wanted to create a safe and collaborative space for creativity.”

Mr Fazlur Rahman Bin Kamsani, member of BH Achiever of the Year 2025 judging panel, said, “Aisyah’s role in promoting the Malay language among her peers, not just in Singapore but also overseas, is commendable.”

Please refer to Annexes A and B for more information on the awards and winners. 

The next step in BH’s transformation journey

Since 1957, BH has been the trusted voice of the Malay/Muslim community — reflecting their aspirations, concerns and achievements while keeping them connected to national and global developments. 

In 2023, BH started transforming its newsroom digitally by introducing a digital-first workflow in the newsroom, applying a fresh approach to its social media content, and refreshing its podcast offerings with new content such as BHerbual and Kaki Bola. Last year, it started a young audience platform, OMGxBH, to reach out to the youths

BH’s transformation has garnered international acclaim, attaining 2^nd Runner-Up position in the INMA Global Media Awards for Best Newsroom Transformation this year.  

BH will be embarking on the next phase of its transformation journey in the first quarter of 2026. This marks an important milestone in BH’s journey to stay relevant and engaging for today’s readers while continuing to inform, inspire, and empower the Malay/Muslim community through credible and trusted journalism. Please refer to Annex C for more information on BH’s latest transformation. Kindly note that information on BH’s transformation is embargoed till after the delivery of Minister Chan Chun Sing’s speech. 

The BH Achiever of the Year 2025 is organised by BH, with support from OCBC as its presenting sponsor, and Call Lade Enterprises, MES Group, NETS, and The Association of Banks in Singapore as its participating sponsors.

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ANNEX A 

About Berita Harian Achiever of the Year Award

Inaugurated in 1999, Berita Harian Achiever of the Year is an annual award ceremony organised by Berita Harian to celebrate Malay/Muslim individuals for their achievements in their chosen fields, be it education, business, arts and culture, sports or social work. The recipients embody perseverance and integrity, and are role models for the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore. 

The categories are: 

• Berita Harian Achiever of the Year Award (Anugerah Jauhari Berita Harian) that honours exemplary organisations or inspiring individuals aged 31 and above who have made significant impact in their fields; and
• Berita Harian Young Achiever of the Year Award (Anugerah Jauhari Harapan Berita Harian) that honours exceptional individuals aged 30 and below, with the passion to strive for success and contribute significantly to society.

Judging Panel 

The winners were selected by a judging panel, after being shortlisted from a public nomination from 28 July to 17 August 2025. This year’s judging panel includes: 

1. Mr Nazry Mokhtar, Editor, Berita Harian (Co-Chair) 
2. Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Singapore’s Non-Resident Ambassador to Kuwait (Co-Chair) 
3. Mr Fazlur Rahman Bin Kamsani, Board Member, Middle East Institute, National University of Singapore
4. Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar, Centre Director, Community Leadership and Social Innovation Centre (CLASIC), Singapore Institute of Technology
5. Dr Norshahril Saat, Senior Fellow and Coordinator, Regional Social and Cultural Studies Programme, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute 

ANNEX B

Berita Harian Achiever of the Year (Anugerah Jauhari) 2025: Brigadier General Fairoz Hassan

Brigadier General (BG) Fairoz Hassan, 46, is a transformative military leader who currently holds the dual appointments of Commander, 9^th Singapore Division (9 DIV) and Chief Infantry Officer, leading one of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF)’s largest formations. His command ethos is captured by his defining motto “I translate ideas into results”. He champions authentic, ground-up leadership, committing to meeting every infanteer to build crucial trust and understand the pulse of the ground.

With nearly three decades of dedicated service, BG Fairoz has demonstrated leadership in both national defence and global humanitarian operations. He regards his time as a Battalion Commander as most impactful, where he was directly responsible for fostering the growth and operational readiness of every soldier. He also served as the Commander of the Army Training Evaluation Centre, validating the competency of units, and played a critical coordination role in managing operations for the SG50 National Day Parade.

BG Fairoz’s commitment to service extends internationally, highlighted by his deployment for critical aid efforts. These include the 2005 Banda Aceh Tsunami Relief, where he served as a United Nations liaison officer coordinating multi-national relief, and the 2015 Nepal Earthquake Relief. These experiences affirmed his belief that military service is fundamentally about “doing the things that really matter”.

His promotion in July 2025 cemented his status as the second Malay/Muslim officer in the history of SAF to attain the rank of Brigadier General.

BG Fairoz is the first career serviceman from his family, having initially joined SAF out of necessity for his university education — a commitment that evolved into a lifelong calling. He attributes his success to the unwavering support of his family, viewing the BH Achiever of the Year award as a tribute to the “village” that raised him. 

Berita Harian Young Achiever of the Year (Anugerah Jauhari Harapan) 2025: Nur Aisyah Lyana Mohamed Satria

Ms Nur Aisyah Lyana Mohamed Satria, 28, experienced a challenging upbringing marked by financial hardship, including food scarcity and frequent power outages. In most of her younger school years, her daily diet consisted of solely rice and eggs. One of the greatest challenges occurred during her final year of university, when her late mother was diagnosed with brain tumour and her father suffered a stroke.

As the eldest of four siblings, Ms Aisyah had to unexpectedly become the primary provider for her three younger siblings. She juggled part-time jobs and hospital visits while pursuing a double major at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Despite these circumstances, she remained deeply involved in co-curricular and community initiatives at NUS. She actively participated in international programmes and youth leadership platforms such as the Peace Summit of Emerging Leaders at the United Nations Conference Centre in Thailand, Chile-ASEAN Internship programme, and UNITE 2030, a global youth programme advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 

Overcoming these challenges with grit and resilience, Ms Aisyah graduated with Highest Distinction in NUS Global Studies and Malay Studies in 2022, earning a place on the Dean’s List and receiving the Batul Izzuddin Global Citizen Prize for academic excellence and global impact. Her accolades also include the 2022 MENDAKI Excellence Award and the prestigious MENDAKI Pinnacle Award.

Beyond academia, Ms Aisyah has built a prominent presence in Singapore’s Malay literary and cultural landscape. From 2017 to 2024, Ms Aisyah has volunteered significantly with the Kelana Pantun Temasek collective, conducting traditional poetry workshops and programmes for youths. She later co-founded Meja Conteng, a writing collective for Malay youths established in 2024. Within nine months, the collective expanded to include 18 youth writers and published several zines, including O Live: Art Peace for Solidarity, donating thousands in profits to the Palestinian Scholarship Initiative. Ms Aisyah is also the advisor for Rumah Rima (2025) arts collective.

Ms Aisyah has represented Singapore at various international conferences in Brunei and Indonesia for the Southeast Asian Literary Council, focusing on poetry and short stories. Most recently in 2025, she was selected as one of two Singaporeans in a Southeast Asian storytelling programme by the International Dialogue Centre and Caravanserai Collective, later publishing a zine amplifying voices of storytellers from the programme. 

Her writing has earned multiple national accolades, including First Prizes in the National Poetry Competition in 2020 and 2024, NTU-NIE Hadiah Sulam Kalam in 2021, and BH’s Peraduan Menulis Sajak in 2024. She has also attained Honourable Mention three times at Singapore’s prestigious national writing competition, Golden Point Award. In addition, she has composed and recited a tribute poem for Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2024. 

In her past career at TikTok, Ms Aisyah has held various roles across the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on risk analysis, incident management, and risk containment. Her responsibilities included drafting geopolitical analyses, conducting risk assessments, and managing escalations and crises to ensure online safety on the platform. 

Ms Aisyah is currently undertaking a Dual Master’s in Technology and Global Affairs at Sciences Po (Paris) and IE University (Madrid), focusing on emerging technologies and artificial intelligence governance.

From 2015 to 2018 and in 2023, Ms Aisyah has volunteered with MENDAKI as a youth facilitator and lead mentor, guiding youths facing circumstances similar to her own. She has also volunteered with Beyond Social Services from 2020 to 2022, writing community stories on rental flat residents.

ANNEX C

Media Factsheet

Berita Harian’s latest transformation 

As the national news company, SPH Media is constantly reinventing our products to reach new audiences and better engage our current audiences. Berita Harian’s (BH) evolution mirrors SPH Media’s broader transformation which includes rejuvenating its platforms, redesigning formats, and deepening engagement across digital and social channels.

Preserving Heritage, Connecting Generations

Since 1957, BH has been the trusted voice of the Malay/Muslim community — reflecting their aspirations, concerns and achievements while keeping them connected to national and global developments. In an increasingly digitally native world, the paper has clocked significant milestones in its evolution to ensure its connection remains strong with generations of readers with diverse needs: 

• BH launched its digital version, cyBerita, in March 1996. It has the honour of being the first Singapore’s Malay-language newspaper to do so. 
• In December 2013, the BeritaHarian.sg website was introduced with a tablet and  smartphone edition to cater to the diverse preferences of the readers. 
• BH also introduced a translation tool on its website to allow readers to instantly translate news reports from Malay to English in June 2020.
• In 2023, BH started transforming its newsroom digitally by introducing a digital-first workflow in the newsroom, applying a fresh approach to its social media content, and refreshing its podcast offerings with new content such as BHerbual and Kaki Bola. 
• Last year, it started a young audience platform, OMGxBH, to reach out to the youth. 

BH’s transformation has garnered international acclaim, attaining 2^nd Runner-Up position in the INMA Global Awards for Best Newsroom Transformation this year. This award recognised BH's digital transformation to grow its audience, especially among younger Malays, while maintaining its cultural mission. The next piece in BH’s evolution is the change in print format.

A New Chapter for a Trusted Voice

In Q1 2026, the hardcopy BH will switch from a broadsheet to a compact sized version. This is an important milestone in its journey to stay relevant and engaging while remaining true to its mission — to inform, inspire, and empower the Malay/Muslim community through credible and trusted journalism. 

The revamp builds on BH’s proud legacy, embracing modern storytelling and digital innovation while continuing to celebrate the Malay language, identity, and values. BH has transformed its print product based on the surveys and focus group discussions carried out with readers and stakeholders. Through these engagement sessions, BH found that there is a strong preference for a compact-sized BH, as it offers a more accessible and user-friendly experience.

BH remains steadfast in serving the Malay community. The essence and value of Berita Harian remain the same and undiluted, with the new compact offering these: 

A fresh design

To deliver a more streamlined, impactful, and easy-to-read news experience for our readers. 

Enhanced access to digital content 

To make digital content such as videos, podcasts and special reports more obvious and accessible, the compact BH will carry more QR codes that link to these offerings in their refreshed version. 

Broader editorial coverage

More in-depth news analyses and opinion pieces to help readers make sense of the news and developments in Singapore and beyond. The compact BH will also include more listicles and news briefs to provide a quick snapshot of news of the day. The lifestyle sections will be enhanced and more prominent coverage given to BH’s content pillars, including:

1. Kaki Makan

Celebrate Singapore’s vibrant food culture and explore the must-try dishes, hidden gems. Also, find out more about the passionate people who keep our culinary heritage alive, and discover a taste of Singapore in every story.

2. Dunia Anak (DNA) – Children's World

Find out more about the intricate world of raising children. From early development and educational challenges to the importance of free play and managing family relationships, this column provides practical advice, shared parental experiences, and essential tips for nurturing capable, confident, and happy children in Singapore.

3. Kaki Jalan (The Traveller)

Explore the world's wonders, both within Singapore and across the globe. From unique hidden gems and budget-friendly travel tips to guides for memorable family holidays, this column offers stories, inspiration, and advice for the traveler with a constant thirst for new experiences.

4. Bahasa & Budaya (Language & Culture)

Immerse in the richness of the Malay Language and the cultural heritage that shapes our community. From in-depth discussions on language and the evolution of words in the digital age, to explorations of Malay customs, history, and arts. This column is a space to appreciate and empower the Singaporean Malay identity.

Quote from Mr Mohd Nazry Mokhtar, Editor, Berita Harian

“The switch from broadsheet to a compact-sized newspaper marks an important milestone in Berita Harian’s transformation journey. It’s not just a change in format, but part of our broader newsroom evolution - to deliver journalism that is more accessible, engaging, and relevant for today’s readers. Even as we embrace new storytelling forms and digital innovations, our mission remains steadfast: to inform, inspire, and empower the Malay/Muslim community through credible and trusted journalism.”

Quote from Mr Wong Wei Kong, Editor-In-Chief (EMTM) 

“Berita Harian’s refreshed format for its newspaper marks two years of transformation that has seen the newsroom embrace new ways of story-telling across text, online, video, podcasts and on social media. This has allowed BH to reach more and new audiences, and raise its impact. We believe the new compact newspaper will also increase its appeal to print readers.”