Anba ousted as NUJ secretary, Chin’s team wins

Journalists’ union president Chin Sung Chew of Sin Chew consolidated his position today, winning election in his own right to the presidency and seeing off the general secretary, V Anbalagan of the New Straits Times. Anba was comprehensively defeated by a 163-vote majority by Chin’s ally, Schave Jerome de Rozario of The Star.

Malaysiakini’s chief reporter Hafiz Yatim, failed in his attempt to be the first journalist from online media to win a union position. Hafiz had contested one of the two positions of deputy general secretary.

NUJ election results

President

Chin Sung Chew – Sin Chew – 711
Latip Mat Radzi – Utusan Karya 577

Vice Presidents (2)

Mohd Taufek Razak – Utusan – 948
Basir Zahrom – NSTP – 576
Noor Azmi Othman – NSTP – 801

General secretary

V. Anbalagan – New Straits Times 563
Schave Jerome de Rozario – The Star 666

Deputy general secretary (2)

Kuan Tai Huat – Nanyang – 896
Mohd Hidhir Basarudin – Utusan – 886
Abdul Hafiz Mohammad Yatim – Malaysiakini – 542

The election results marked a victory for Chin’s slate of candidates, which he named “Barisan Pakatan”, and drawn from journalists of several newspaper branches, excluding any from the NST.

In his campaign, Chin had accused Anba of divisive practices by engineering the nomination of candidates from NST for most positions, and of shoring up support for himself by recruiting direct members from online journalists.

Chin said no single branch should be dominant in the union. Anba is chairman of the NST branch.

Although named the National union of Journalists, the NUJ comprises only newspaper journalists in Peninsular Malaysia, for historical reasons.

Chin, an elected vice-president, had assumed the presidency last year after the controversial resignation of Hata Wahari, a senior reporter of Utusan Malaysia, whose employment was terminated after he made strong statements against Utusan’s editorial policies, while campaigning for press freedom.

Delegates at the biennial conference, held at the NST’s Old Wing, adopted a motion to increase the benefits from the NUJ’s welfare fund, to continuously press for the repeal of the Official Secrets Act and the Printing Presses and Publications Act, and to urge the government to enact a Freedom of Information Act.

The NUJ statement

NUJ PENINSULAR MALAYSIA GETS NEW OFFICE BEARERS

Kuala Lumpur: Sin Chew senior reporter Chin Sung Chew retained his post of NUJ President at its Extraordinary Delegates Conference held at Anjung Riong NSTP today.

He defeated Latip Mat Radzi (Utusan Karya) by 154 vote majority. Chin retains his leadership who had been president since 2011 after taking over from Ha’ta Wahari.

For the post of Vice President Taufek Razak (Utusan Melayu) and Noor Azmi Othman (NSTP) emerged winners in a three cornered fight.

Schave Jerome of the Star defeated V. Anbalagan by 103 vote majority for the post of General Secretary.

The post of Deputy General Secretary was also contested with Kuan Tai Huat of Nanyang Siang Pau and Mohd Hidhir Basarudin of Utusan Melayu emerging winners.

General Treasurer’s post was won uncontested by former Deputy General Secretary Baharudin Reseh Hj. Yaacob from Utusan Melayu.

Chin in his speech said the new executive council would work hard to strengthen the Union in upholding all its principles while taking care of the welfare of its members. He also said that the Union would work closely with all its branches to that affect. He also thanked the outgoing office bearers for their contribution to the Union through their untiring work and dedication.

The delegates also approved among others motion to increase the NUJ welfare fund benefits, to continuously demand for the repeal of Official Secrets Act 1972 and the Printing, Presses and Publications Act 1984 while urging the government to enact the Freedom of Information Act.

On behalf of the Executive Council,
The NUJ Secretariat