KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — National Union of Journalists (NUJ) president Hata Wahari has been hauled up by his employers Utusan Malaysia over the union’s criticisms against the Umno-owned newspaper.
He will face a domestic inquiry on Thursday and is at risk of being sacked.
Hata, elected in September last year, had been critical of his employers, as well as being outspoken about the freedom of the press and the importance of non-biased reporting.
The Utusan reporter had accused the Umno mouthpiece of practising a “partisan” approach to reporting, saying that he had a responsibility to ensure that proper journalistic ethics were practised by all newspapers in the country.
Hata (picture) had also cited the dispute between Utusan and political leaders from Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) as an example of partisan reporting.
The NUJ president claimed that the union regretted this, saying that it did not benefit the Malay daily, its reporters or journalism, in a thinly-veiled reference to Utusan attacking Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz over his critique of Malay rights group Perkasa.
Hata had also challenged politicians from both sides of the divide to prove they are for media freedom, and to stop shutting out reporters from covering partisan functions.
A number of reporters from news portals were booted from the media room of the Umno general assembly last year for not possessing press passes issued by the party’s secretariat.
Utusan reporters were also barred from covering a recent PKR press conference.
Two show-cause letters were issued to him in September and in October, and the domestic inquiry on Thursday will be his first since he began his career at the Malay daily in 1995.
In a statement, Hata kicked off the new year by blaming Utusan editors and what he called their racial rhetoric for the daily’s declining sale.
He also called on the authorities to act against Utusan editors for fanning racial sentiment in its reports.
He told The Malaysian Insider today that he has yet to hear from his editors regarding his recent remarks as he is on leave until January 5.
Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) figures for the full year ended June 30, 2010 showed thatUtusan Malaysia’s circulation dropped from 181,346 to 170,558, or a drop of 5.9 per cent.
“When I issue a statement to the press, I will get a show-cause letter... every time I issue statements about freedom of the press or about Utusan Malaysia,” he explained, referring to the recent routine between him and his employers caused by his actions as NUJ president.
“At the moment I’m waiting for the January 6 inquiry regarding a statement made a few months ago,” he said. The statement was carried by news portals.
When asked if he was concerned that a similar fate will befall him just as it had to the former NUJ president, also Utusan reporter Amran Ahmad, Hata said he wasn’t worried.
The 41-year-old said it was a risk worth taking and he “expected to be sacked from Utusanlike Amran Ahmad”.
Amran was sacked in September last year following a report he made to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over procurements made by Utusan Melayu Berhad, the company that publishes Utusan Malaysia.
“I’ve asked a few times for the authorities to take action against Utusan editors, but so far nothing has happened to them,” Hata said, referring to his statements as well as interviews since becoming NUJ president.
The outspoken journalist declined to name those he think are responsible and who should be questioned by the authorities.
“I have a few editors in mind but would not like to reveal their names yet... but mostly the chief editor has to be responsible for that,” he said.
Hata said, for example, on the recent attacks on Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching, since he was not present at the editorial meeting he would have to do some “investigation” to find out who chaired the meeting and who had ultimately made the decision.
The Utusan Group was founded in Singapore in 1939 by Malay intellectuals, including the republic’s first president Yusof Ishak, who were critical of the then colonial government.
The company is now controlled by Umno and Utusan Malaysia has been accused by PR leaders of promoting racial hatred in its reporting.
NUJ represents some 1,300 members from eight media organisations.
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