Union man to file case against Chinese daily over sacking

National Union of Journalists (NUJ) branch chairperson Chua Cheong Wee will file a case against his former employer Chinese Daily Kwong Wah Yit Poh over his sacking.

This was announced by NUJ president Mohd Taufek Razak who said Chua was the second union branch chief to have been sacked in the last eight years.

"Chua, 48, who had served more than 25 years as a journalist at Kwong Wah Yit Poh Press Berhad, based in Penang, was sacked on grounds of insubordination, disrespectful conduct and uttering words that annoyed and demean his superior in front of other staff," he said.

Taufek said Chua will file the case with the Penang Industrial Relations Department tomorrow.

The last NUJ branch chief to be sacked by his employer was Amran Ahmad, who had worked at Utusan Malaysia.

Taufek said Chua was sacked after fiercely protesting the denial of his leave application and the incident was recorded.

Taufek said Chua was transferred from Penang to Kuala Lumpur in April and had been living at the NUJ's office in Brickfields as he "could not afford rent".

He added that Chua had to make the trip back to Penang every week to see his family.- Mkini