DOUBLE STANDARDS AGAIN FROM RAIS YATIM? NOT GOOD TO LET EX-EDITOR OF DAP’S MOUTHPIECE HEAD BERNAMA, SAYS EX-MINISTER – BUT IF IT’S SOMEONE LINKED TO BERSATU, LIKE MASZLEE FORCING HIMSELF ON IUUM, WILL THAT SUDDENLY BECOME OKAY?

In light of speculation that a former editor-in-chief of DAP mouthpiece The Rocket is set to head Bernama, former minister Rais Yatim has urged Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo to reconsider the move.

Calling it “not a good choice”, the Bersatu member said appointing Wan Hamidi Hamid as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the national news agency would politicise it.

“This should be reconsidered by my friend who is the present communications and multimedia minister (Gobind).

“We should avoid this trend or else the agency will be politicised, its soul and thinking will be politicised.

“I say this is not a good choice. It must be reconsidered because Bernama is neutral,” Rais told the media after a book launch at Universiti Malaya this morning.

Rais was a former minister of information, communication and culture from 2009 to 2013.

“In the past, we did not choose people with strong political involvement to lead Bernama,” he said today.

Quoting sources, The Star previously reported that Wan Hamidi had been offered the post and will assume it when present Bernama CEO Zulkefli Salleh retires in October.

However, Malaysiakini understands that Wan Hamidi has not received an official appointment letter.

Wan Hamidi is currently Federal Territories DAP political education director and deputy director of DAP-linked think tank Research for Social Advancement (Refsa).

– M’kini