UNIVERSITIES and schools were told to stop their subscriptions to Utusan Malaysia because there was no need to read a government-bashing newspaper, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.
However, people can still read the newspaper, he said.
“The subscriptions were stopped because why would we want to buy the paper that always slam us?
“But we are not stopping people from reading (the newspaper). If you want to read, then read. People are free to read it in or outside school.
“We won’t arrest them or forbid them (from reading). Nobody will tear up or burn the newspaper. Nothing like that,” he told reporters after chairing the Pakatan Harapan (PH) presidential council meeting at the Parliament building.
Dr Mahathir was commenting on a July 18 memo issued by the education minister’s special officer Wan Saiful Wan Jan which ordered schools, universities, colleges and other institutions under the purview of the ministry to stop subscribing to the Umno-controlled daily .
The move to end the subscription will push the ailing newspaper further into the red.
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the move was unwise, as sections of the newspaper also served to educate students.
Utusan’s management is hoping to meet with the ministry. Its group executive chairman Abd Aziz Sheik Fadzir said the company has yet to receive an official notice on the matter.
Utusan had been critical of PH while Barisan Nasional was in power. The newspaper had also been blamed for using racial and religious issues to stoke the fire of fear and discord. β August 2, 2018.
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