Syed Jamil Jaafar, the General Manager of Bernama, will clock out for the final time tomorrow after having served the national news agency for 37 years. SJ joined Bernama in December 1969 as an 18-year old reporter, went on to become its editor-in-chief in 1995, and was made the GM in 2000.
Azman Ujang, another seasoned journalist and Bernama's current editor-in-chief, will be the Acting GM until the agency appoints a new GM.
SJ's contract was not due to end until next year and his "early" retirement may spark speculation that there may be plans to merge Bernama with RTM, the other government media agency, or something to that effect.
Hmm. Azman Ujang becomes GM. Does this mean Datuk Zack becomes the new Ketua Pengarang? That would be interesting.
ReplyDeleteBru,
ReplyDeleteSJ is an old hand in Bernama. He was one of the guys whom Bernama relied upon for clean, crisp and good English. It'll be a loss if SJ is allowed just to fade into the sunset. He can be used as a resource person in the media industry.In fact, he can also serve as a good teacher of journalism anywhere, be it in campus or other media institutions. Good Luck SJ!!
Cek Mat (pahitmanis),
ReplyDeleteYou have been away from Bernama for too long. Your praises for SJ is bewildering.
Did we see any of the Bernama journalists walk up the stage at the MPI awards last night?... or for the last couple of years for that matter?
SJ need to given his due credit. He has been there for umpteen of years and has seen regime come and goes. Best wishes for his future undertakings.
ReplyDeleteSJ earlier than expected departure was due to one and only reason -- "he was not Pak Lah's yes man", not like the chairman Annuar Zaini. In fact most of Bernama's staff suspected that Annuar's had a hand in SJ's departure. When he was in Bernama, he held strongly to the basic tenets of journalism. A respectable journalist during his days and now. Good luck and good bye SJ, may all the best be upon u.
ReplyDeleteyou want to know what i think of bernama, let me tell you. SHIT. they dont have writers, they dont go through the stories thoroughly and most of all i heard their turnover is very high. i suggest bernama should close shop and let professionals do the job.
ReplyDeleteSame goes to NST, "The New Spin Times" aka SHIT.
ReplyDeleteBernama used to have good writers but not anymore. some of the editors today are engrossed in their moonlighting jobs (with PR firms etc) for the money, hence the dive in the standards. they are not teaching the new generations enough. those who have left (and there are just too many of them) have excelled outside
ReplyDeleteSdr Rocky,
ReplyDeleteYa, SJ ialah ANTARA orang lama di Bernama.
Malangnya, beliau bukan SJ seperti yang orang di luar sana kenali.
Ramai daripada kami yang tertekan semasa bertugas di bawah kepimpinannya.
Amalan berat sebelah dan lebih mengutamakan kakitangan komersil berbanding SSM (YANG AMAT SETIA DENGAN BERNAMA) nyata memberi banyak kesan sampingan kepada kakitangan.
Sebab itu, lebih ramai yang bertepuk tangan apabila dia mengumumkan persaraannya...
Dan amat malang sekali apabila dia masih lagi di Wisma Bernama kerana bertugas pulak di BESSAR...
Nyata, kegembiraan kami hanya seketika!!