Friday, December 01, 2006

Who's killing Utusan Melayu?

And who can save it? Some members of the Umno Supreme Council, which is meeting at this very minute, are expected to raise the NSTP-Utusan Melayu merger talk at the meeting. They have been kept out of the loop and this they found disturbing.
It's been days since a Singapore daily broke the story about the merger of the two Umno-linked media companies. This morning the counters of both companies were suspended and still nobody has officially said anything about it.
The journalists and editors at Utusan Malaysia, always proud of their "Malay chauvinist" newspaper and the fact that they are deemed as representative of Umno and the Malays' voice, are very demoralized. Some are angry.

Watch out for updates.

Update 1 [10pm].
Poster Melayu Malaysia says a minute ago the proposed merger has been put on hold "due to strong resistance among the members of the (Supreme Council)". Thank you, Melayu Malaysia. We'll have to wait for the official announcement before we can thank, and congratulate, the Supreme Council members.

Update 2 [8:50pm]. The National Union Journalists "concerned" with NSTP-Utusan merger. Bernama has the story here.

Update 3. Bernama just filed this story here and here quoting the PM as saying that the identity and the role of Utusan Malaysia must remain should there be a merger between NSTP and Utusan Melayu. He did not spell out what Utusan's identity and role are or how it's possible to retain both if NSTP is allowed to eat it up.

27 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:12 pm

    The "no-balls" MT will do nothing and raise nothing. No one will dare to cross sword with Pak Lah. The decision to merge is final, decided long ago by KJ and Kali. LKY must be a very happy man, his boys has done a very good job. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous4:31 pm

    haiyaaa.. I belum lagi habis baca talkin for Golden Hope & Guthrie now need to baca one more time for the demised of another company... ada lagi ker more to come ?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous6:40 pm

    Bru,

    I doubt. Umno SC has lost its gumption.

    Members will not talk.

    AAB agreed to the proposal. So the SC agrees with him.

    AAB is using TS Hashim of UMB to legitimise the merger.

    AAB sent Hashim to "brief" Najib.

    Najib "agreed" because AAB had ok-ed the deal.

    It's a Media Prima aka Datuk Mutalib-Kallimullah-Khairy play.

    They have to call EGM. Will I see you there?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous7:28 pm

    Good God bro. The more I read the more scared I become. My prayer for our country, Please Lord , save this country for my children and future generations. Get rid of the traitors - the sooner the better.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous7:35 pm

    simedarby+guthrie+goldenhope
    tv3+8tv+ntv7+gbsb
    nanyang+sinchew
    utusan+nst
    edge+star+sun
    astro+gsc+astroshaw+tgv+all fm stations
    proton+naza+volkswagen
    all the bloody roadbuilders
    what else is new?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous8:29 pm

    Bor,

    And we are still asking why Tun M is raising such a ruckus? Isn't it bleeding obvious now that what the old man has been saying is actually happening to our country? How many more Singapore-styled, KH/KJ-driven deals does this country need to endure before the f***ing toothless, spineless, brainless, balless, gutless Umno SC start saying something? Anyway, as far as the merger is concerned, lets see if any of the companies' board members have the decency and the integrity to quit their positions. The same goes for the Sime Dary-Guthrie-Golden Hope merger. Show us your balls guys!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous9:08 pm

    this merger will definitely make LKY a very happy man on earth. dendam terbalas habis. his super agents - PM son-in-law and God Kali have done it well for him. the biggest moron is of course the half-past six PM, our dear Pak Lah-leh kita. apa yang dia tahu pasai nii? nothing. seronok dapat duit lagi yalah.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous9:46 pm

    Latest I heard is that the move has been put on hold as there seemed to be strong resistance among the members of MT.

    Looks like some party might not get what they wished for. And AAB being a proxy may not get to sleep tonite. What a shame, having to miss out on his favorite pastime...:)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous9:49 pm

    Latest I heard is that the move has been put on hold as there seemed to be strong resistance among the members of MT.

    Looks like some party might not get what they wished for. And AAB being a proxy may not get to sleep tonite. What a shame, having to miss out on his favorite pastime...:)stime...:)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous10:35 pm

    next biggest merger on the books...
    giant-tesco-carrefour-makro-mydins
    baik punya business. everyday collect cash punya.
    tak nak ke?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous10:43 pm

    For the first time in three years the MThad the balls to shoot down the SIL's proposal and forced the FIL to come back to reality,swallowed his ego and forced to denounce the proposed merger publicly. Could this be the beginning of a rebellion within the MT. Wait for the next MT meeting

    Hantu Gigi Jarang

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous10:49 pm

    Rocky, if you compare financial result for NSTP, Utusan and theStar, the reason is obvious.

    Q3 earning profit performance (% of profit from the revenue/sales)

    NSTP : 4%
    Utusan : 2.5%

    theStar : 26.4%

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous11:50 pm

    utusan is a shit paper. period. the only way it can progress is by merging with the nst. it has no other choice.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous12:07 am

    Syabas Majlis Tertinggi (MT) Umno kerana tidak terburu-buru dan masih mahu membuka pintu untuk mendengar pandangan umum. Penggabungan NSTP dan Utusan Melayu tidak pernah terlintas di minda golongan nasionalis tepi sentiasa berlegar-legar di kepala kapitalis. Akhbar Melayu perdana yang bercirikan nasionalisme Melayu ini adalah antara sisa-sisa warisan orang Melayu yang masih bernafas dengan fungsi asalnya walaupun sedikit sebanyak sudah dimajmukkan juga, Menggabungkannya bermaka ia adalah usaha untuk mengkabungkannya. Berita Harian bersifat nasional tetapi Utusan nasionalismMelayu.. Ada waktunya suara dalam Utusan amat dialu-alukan terutamanya apabila akhbar lain tidak lagi dapat menggunakan taring dalam menghadapi isu-isu tertentu. Kalau senjata ini juga hendak dikorbankan, terserah lah kepada budi bicara. Utusan Melayu secara fizikalnya adalah sama dengan akhbar lain tetapi nada dan lagunya berbeza. Ia menyanyikan lagu Melayu yang sedap didengar hanya oleh orang-orang Melayu malainkan orang Melayu sendiri sudah jemu mendengar lagu-lagu Melayu jati. Gabungannya nanti pasti menghilangkan ciri-ciri nasionalisme akhbar ini walau pun apa juga hujah untuk mengiyakan penggabungan ini. Kewujudan akhbar di Malaysia tidak seharusnya tegak hanya kerana untung semata..lebih dari itu.. Saya teringat kata-kata Adibah Amin ketika keghairahan kami di Berita Harian memuncak menyaingi Utusan di segi edaran akhbar pada 1980an yang mana beliau berkata walau apa pun saingan yang kita berikan, kita perlu pastikan Utusan Malaysia terus hidup subur kerana ia mempunyai sifat-sifat yang tidak ada pada Berita Harian. "Ebih penting lagi Utusan dibaca oleh orang Melayu yang semangat nasionalisnya lebih tinggi. Sebagai orang Melayu kita wajib mempunyai semangat dan berjiwa Melayu.MakaUtusan Melayu perlu dibiarkan terus hidup subur tanpa campur tangan kapitalis.Bergabung. Untuk apa? Untuk membesarkan untung siapa sebenarnya dan untuk mematikan siapa sebenarnya. Dalam gabungan ini nama Utusan tetap ada tapi semangat Melayunya pasti akan hilang. Untuk menjadi syarikat media terbesar atas alasan apa dan mahu bersaing dengan siapa dan negara.mana? Kita bercakap soal modal insan tetapi apakah gabungan ini selari dengan matlamat menyediakan peluang pekerjaan kepada begitu ramai pelajar yabg akan dilatih nanti. Di mana mereka akan bekerja sedangkan gabungan bermakna juga mengurangkan tenaga kerja. Gabungan ini boleh mematikan jiwa Melayu.

    Mior Kamarul Shahid, bekas wartawan Berita Harian.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous12:34 am

    Call me the new millenium man. With folks like you, who needs newspapers these days anyway? Tell you the truth, I did not buy any this week, except one day when out of habit, I purchase NST cause I realised that they had the EPL feature. That came in handy when I went to do my business in the toilet. This particular business is going to be redundant before you say 'Yahoo'. Let them kill each other off.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous3:25 am

    ada-ada saja lah mereka ni. Tak boleh tengok buah. Nak kait saja. Terkait sarang tebuan padan muka.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous7:13 am

    Pagi-pagi lagi sudah ada kawan-kawan yang sms tanya apakah kesan penggabungan NSTP-Utusan Melayu? Setakat ini saya tidak ada maklumat terperinci tetapi saya berani kata gabungan ini adalah ibarat menggabungkan mata pelajaran sejarah dengan mata pelajaran sains di sekolah sains yang diajar oleh guru berlatarbelakangkan sains dan guru besarnya ialah bekas pensyarah pengajian sains manakala dasar pemerintah pula cenderung kepada sains.kita pasti tau apa akan berlaku kepada mata pelajaran sejarah itu. Ini contoh saja.

    Mior Kamaul Shahid

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous8:00 am

    Utusan Melayu perlu dipertahankan kerana Berita Harian telah hilang taringnya hanya jadi pak hangguk aje..tu lah sebabnya aku tak suka baca BH. BH telah hilang kredibilitinya di bawah kali (kong). Janganlah bunuh Utusan di bawah kalikong..

    Motif keuntungan tak bawak ke mana...ingatlah balik kenapa Utusan Melayu diwujudkan.. nanti menyesal tak sudah..

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous10:25 am

    I don't understand what is going on frankly. Palm oil merger, paper merger. There is small short term efficiency gains but not long terms ones. There is a lot of scrutiny being put on these mergers. Why do it?

    If the idea is to create transaction so that KJ & Co can built more war chest. Its not really smart. With so much scrutiny, how much can they take? Would it not be easier to just do new projects and take a piece of that?

    If the idea here is consolidate power, seriously does it really do that much too?

    Who ever or whomever is coming up with these ideas is kind of shooting at anything that moves.

    Things must be hard for these well-fed (oops. I mean well-bred) UMNOputras...

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous11:48 am

    Alasan utama untuk NST bergabung dgn Utusan adalah untuk hilangkan taring Utusan. Itu sahaja. Lepas itu jadikan Khalid Utusan sebagai kambing hitam kehancuran NST. Generasi akan datang akan ingat Khalid tu punya angkara kenapa NST hancur walhal angkara Kalimullah dan konco-konco Singapura dia.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous1:15 pm

    Apabila desas desus mula timbul berkenaan dengan penggabungan Utusan Malaysia dengan New Straits Times (NST), saya pada mulanya berkeyakinan penuh bahawa ianya tidak akan menjadi kenyataan. Saya berpendapat demikian berdasarkan dua sebab utama.

    Pertama, saya fikir adalah mustahil kepimpinan melayu UMNO akan membenarkan akhbar yang menjadi tunjang kepada kekuatan melayu dan medium utama membentuk pemikiran Melayu, di kompromi dan di 'jinakkan' sehingga menjadi akhbar penterjemah kepada NST semata-mata. Umum mengetahui NST adalah cerminan dominasi Singapura keatas negara kita melalui permaharajaan Hindugod dan Brendan Pariahra.


    Kedua, saya berpendapat bahawa orang melayu sendiri tidak akan membiarkan ia berlaku. Sejenak, terfikir seketika akan kemungkinan bahawa kebangkitan besar orang Melayu akan berlaku memandangkan akhbar pembela Melayu sedang diancam.

    Malang sekali, telahan saya nyata silap sama sekali. Kepimpinan UMNO tidak memberikan sebarang pendirian jelas menghalang penggabungan itu. Hanya sekadar membuat kenyataan bahawa "Utusan tidak akan dibenarkan lenyap begitu sahaja", tidak membawa makna apa apa. Apa gunanya Utusan tidak lenyap, kalau lidah pengarangnya bukan lagi milik orang Melayu dalam erti kata sebenar? Apa gunanya Utusan, sekiranya pengurusan nya merupakan golongan yang hanya menurut perintah pihak lain yang langsung tiada simpati pada nasib orang Melayu?

    Orang Melayu pula, langsung tiada bersuara. Selain wira-wira Melayu yang menggamatkan dunia siber melalui blog dan laman web, tidak ada sesiapa pun yang menentang secara terang penggabungan ini. Hanya desas desus dan bisikan dalam nada penuh ketakutan. Apa sudah jadi dengan orang Melayu?? Ini Utusan yang sedang dihancurkan! Tidak ada kah sesiapa yang merasa marah dan kecewa dengan perkembangan ini? Tidak adakah lagi naluri untuk bangun menentang perkara-perkara yang tidak betul?

    Ada penganalisa yang berpendapat bahawa penggabungan itu bertujuan menyelamatkan NST yang sedang tenat 'berdarah', kerana jualan, langganan serta imej nya sedang merosot pada kadar yang teruk. Bagi saya, ingin menyelamatkan NST bukanlah alasan yang baik untuk mengorbankan Utusan. Banyak cara lain untuk menyelamatkan NST. Mengapa tidak guna syarikat kerajaan atau GLC lain untuk menyuntik modal kedalam nya? Mengapa tidak diadakan MBO? Mengapa tidak disusun semula Media-Prima itu sendiri? Banyak cara lain yang boleh dilakukan tanpa mengorbankan Utusan.

    Bagi saya, penggabungan Utusan ini tidak lain dan tidak bukan, adalah usaha untuk memperkasakan pihak tertentu semata-mata. Dengan hanya penggabungan ini, maka 2/3 penguasaan media arus perdana (yakni pemikiran rakyat) akan berada pada hanya satu pihak (1/3 lagi dikuasai media lain milik parti komponen). Mengapa? Sebab Utusan adalah akhbar Melayu paling berpengaruh. Sebab utusan telah sekian lama menjadi pencetus isu-isu yang menjadi polemik bangsa, sebab Utusan menjadi sumber berita utama bagi melayu yang tiada sumber berita lain. Sebab Utusan dan Harian Metro secara kolektif dibaca berjuta-juta orang melayu setiap hari. Sebab hanya dengan penggabungan itu, orang yang mengawal Utusan-NST akan menjadi orang paling berkuasa dinegara ini, apatahlagi tatkala Perdana Menteri amat cenderung mendengar 'nasihat' nya.

    Dan siapakah pula pihak itu? Hindu God? Brendan Pariahra? Wallah'wa'lam. Kerana belum diputuskan. Maklumlah, UMNO tidak ingin berkata apa-apa sehingga nasi sudah menjadi bubur. "Tak elok" kata Dato' Seri Presiden.

    Hakikatnya, walau siapa pun berada ditempat yang amat diidam-idamkan itu, usah dinafikan bahawa Hindugod dan Brendan akan terus berpengaruh. Mereka tidak bodoh untuk mengenengahkan diri mereka secara langsung. Tetapi tidak syak bahawa mereka tetap memainkan peranan disebalik Tabir. Malah, ada yang berkata: "Patutla BP tidak disambung kontranya di NST... rupanya dia akan diberi jawatan lebih baik didalam entiti baru itu nanti!"... "Patut la Hindugod senyap tidak membantai YABhg Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad lagi.... sedang sebok untuk menjadi lebih berkuasa rupanya.."

    Saya berasa amat sedih dengan keadaan ini. Dengan lemah dan tidak berdaya kita hanya melihat negara kita dimusnahkan satu per satu. UMNO sudah tiada semangat juang. Semua kita, termasuk diri saya, hanya cakap berapi disebalik tabir. Kerana terlalu takut dan khuatir . Apa sudah jadi dengan Malaysia? Apa sudah jadi dengan Melayu?

    Sekian.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous3:27 pm

    Welcome to " Pak Lah the Movie " & " Kasi-lah Royale " .
    A systematic , stage by stage , moment by moment and step by step selling of Malaysia - negara of yang tercinta.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hey Bro, watch your ethics!

    02 Disember, 2006 13:51 PM

    Media Diminta Tangkis Tohmahan Internet

    TEMERLOH, 2 Dis (Bernama) -- Media perdana diminta menangkis dakwaan atau fitnah yang disebarkan menerusi internet atau blog terhadap sesuatu isu atau berkaitan dasar kerajaan.

    Timbalan Menteri Penerangan Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi berkata dalam era langit terbuka kini, rakyat semakin mudah disogokkan dengan pelbagai maklumat menerusi media alternatif seperti internet, yang kandungannya belum pasti tepat dan benar.

    "Oleh kerana kesan langit terbuka, kita dapati media alternatif seperti blog, internet misalnya mula berada di persada komunikasi kita. Kita tidak boleh sekat mereka," katanya kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan Karnival Lanchang 2006 di sini malam tadi.

    Ahmad Zahid turut menasihati pengusaha blog atau mereka yang menulis dalam internet agar lebih bertanggungjawab dalam menyebarkan maklumat.

    "Setiap orang ada etika, ada nilai diri, kita harap pengusaha blog juga mempunyai etika," katanya.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous7:12 pm

    MT pausing to rethink about the merger deal -- don't get too excited, its all part of the script. Its a done deal.

    ReplyDelete
  25. terima kasih Penarik Beca, I started new thread on that. Too good to resist, this talk about media-blog ethics.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous10:42 pm

    like Mior Kamarul Shahid said, "Gabungan ini boleh mematikan jiwa Melayu."

    and at the same time, destroy a nation build on democratic principles.

    it's like merging The Times with The Independent.

    newspapers are about ideologies or philosophies, set by editorials to a certain extent.

    they are supposed to be a voice of the people.

    and history has shown the world over that the people's voice can never be suppressed.

    will we let history be our teacher, or plod on to destruction when the writing is clearly on the wall?

    politicians should start by letting journos do their jobs so that a free market can decide what is good and what is not, and hence make each paper profitable and great in its own right.

    at the root, corruption needs to be seriously addressed.

    the power lies in the people or rakyat jelata.

    we have the power to choose our government. we are responsible for all the policies under the current cartoon cabinet. our fate depends on us.

    the recent destruction of a kampung in Ampang by MPSJ is a cold reminder of how the poor and powerless are oppressed under our current government.

    As Zakaria's mansion stands, these people's homes are destroyed.

    For more, visit
    Human chain fails to stop demolition of surau - (THE STAR, Dec 1) http://archives.thestar.com.my/
    search/default.aspx?
    query=kampung+berembang
    The People's Movement
    http://www.jerit.org/

    for the record, i still think that utusan needs to adjust its worldview to suit reality, ie there is no need to defend bangsa and agama anymore, why not go for being decent people and being the best that you can be?

    but as i believe in press freedom, i believe that utusan should continue to exist independent of NSTP.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous10:43 pm

    like Mior Kamarul Shahid said, "Gabungan ini boleh mematikan jiwa Melayu."

    and at the same time, destroy a nation build on democratic principles.

    it's like merging The Times with The Independent.

    newspapers are about ideologies or philosophies, set by editorials to a certain extent.

    they are supposed to be a voice of the people.

    and history has shown the world over that the people's voice can never be suppressed.

    will we let history be our teacher, or plod on to destruction when the writing is clearly on the wall?

    politicians should start by letting journos do their jobs so that a free market can decide what is good and what is not, and hence make each paper profitable and great in its own right.

    at the root, corruption needs to be seriously addressed.

    the power lies in the people or rakyat jelata.

    we have the power to choose our government. we are responsible for all the policies under the current cartoon cabinet. our fate depends on us.

    the recent destruction of a kampung in Ampang by MPSJ is a cold reminder of how the poor and powerless are oppressed under our current government.

    As Zakaria's mansion stands, these people's homes are destroyed.

    For more, visit
    Human chain fails to stop demolition of surau - (THE STAR, Dec 1) http://archives.thestar.com.my/
    search/default.aspx?
    query=kampung+berembang
    The People's Movement
    http://www.jerit.org/

    for the record, i still think that utusan needs to adjust its worldview to suit reality, ie there is no need to defend bangsa and agama anymore, why not go for being decent people and being the best that you can be?

    but as i believe in press freedom, i believe that utusan should continue to exist independent of NSTP.

    ReplyDelete