Mystery man ‘HR’ as Najib spin master

Former editor Kadir Jasin raises questions about new man advising PM.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former newspaper editor A Kadir Jasin has heightened speculation about a rumoured new media and propaganda “adviser” to prime minister Najib Razak, in the latest round of attacks and counter-attacks around Najib.

Kadir said he did not dare publish the name and his link to the prime minister, only stating it with the initials “HR”.

Speculation of “HR” and the position of media adviser arose after former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, under criticism in the media, issued a statement to say he knew who had instigated the coordinated attack.

Kadir, who was former editor-in-chief of New Straits Times and Berita Harian, both Umno-controlled newspapers, is close to Daim and former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

He said cyberspace was “abuzz with talks that a new person outside the media circle has emerged as the new media and propaganda ‘adviser’ to the PM.

Kadir said today he had been warned off by a senior editor at a Malay-language newspaper, probably a reference to Utusan Malaysia, against talking about “HR”.

The editor had sent him an SMS that stated: “HR ini powerful.. keluar saja nama dia, terus kena serang”(HR is powerful…mention his name and get attacked) and had referred Kadir to a video on YouTube in which Kadir was attacked for his recent remarks warning Najib supporters that their anti-Daim campaign might backfire.

Kadir said his YouTube critic had asked what it was that Kadir wanted or had been denied that had made him turn against the PM. Kadir put out an 18-point response to show his professional relationship with Najib and that he had not asked for, or obtained, anything.

On Friday, Kadir said a senior mainstream newspaper editor had asked him by SMS about H… R… “yang dikatakan terlalu rapat dengan PM dan berupaya memberitahu kepala2 media prima dan utusan yang apa perlu di spin?” [Who is this person by the name H... R... who is said to be so close to the PM and is able to tell the heads of Media Prima and Utusan what they should spin?]

Kadir said he had tried, but failed, to receive any confirmation from contacts at the Prime Minister’s Office about “HR”.