Utusan Malaysia urged to wake up to new realities

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 5 Jun 2018 6:21PM · 6 Comments

TWO former Utusan Malaysia editors said they are appalled that the newspaper they once led is still entrapped in “its own cocoon replete with prejudices”.

In a hard-hitting statement today, Zainuddin Maidin and Johan Jaaffar said the newspaper manifested its racist stand by playing up racial sentiments which were detrimental to a multiracial country like Malaysia.

Citing the latest issue surrounding the appointment of the new Attorney-General, they said it was totally unacceptable that Utusan Malaysia played with fire by stoking fear and discord, especially among the Malays and Muslims, over the appointment of a non-Malay and non-Muslim to the post.

Utusan Malaysia, they said, chose to portray a scenario in which the interests of Islam and the Malays would be severely compromised with the appointment of senior lawyer Tommy Thomas (as the new Attorney-General).

Zainuddin and Johan pointed out that the principle of the appointment should be “integrity above all else”.

“We’re pleased that a crisis was averted when the Yang di-Pertuan Agong assented to the appointment of Tommy Thomas (as the new Attorney-General),” they said.

Zooming in on Utusan Malaysia’s racist stand, the former editors said it created unhappiness among the people, especially among the Malays, in the 14th general election (GE14).

In fact, they said, Utusan Malaysia had been blamed as one of the factors that contributed to the dismal performance by Umno and Barisan Nasional in GE14. Umno has a stake in Utusan Malaysia.

“Unfortunately to this day, the editors of Utusan Malaysia have failed to accept the resounding mandate given by the people to Pakatan Harapan (PH) and the government led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad,” the statement said.

Zainuddin, who was chief editor from 1981 to 1992, and Johan (chief editor from 1992 to 1998), conceded that Umno had once shown a high level of tolerance and upheld the principle of unity among the races.

Since the time of the late Tunku Abdul Rahman (the country’s first prime minister) until quite recently, they said, Umno had not shown such desperation to win the hearts and minds of the Malays.

They said Umno’s dramatic change came when Malay support was severely affected, and Utusan Malaysia now reflected that desperation.

“We would like to remind its editors to take note of the shifting dynamics in society as well as the changing political landscape. The earth is moving under their feet but perhaps they’re not realising it,” the former editors said.

Zainuddin, a former information minister, and Johan said it appeared that it was business as usual for Utusan Malaysia.

Despite the financial predicament it faced now, they said Utusan Malaysia had not worked towards improving circulation or bringing in advertising revenue.

“We implore upon the editors of Utusan Malaysia to come out of their cocoons. We’re now at the dawn of a new era. We’re witnessing a New Malaysia. To deny that is a fatal mistake for them,” they said.

They said while taking advantage of the new-found freedom of the press, Utusan Malaysia must not be allowed to be used by certain quarters with nefarious agenda to undermine the government of the day. – Bernama, June 5, 2018

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Comments

  • LET US ALL GO BACK TO 1957 when the races accepted each other under the patronage of our British colonial rulers from England..

    Posted 5 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • It was because the Malays, Chinese & Indians respected & accepted each other that the British agreed to give us independence in 1957. We would not have succeeded in getting independence if we had shown that we could not get along with everyone else..

    Posted 5 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • After so many years of fear mongering from this tabloid, we are kinda immune to their supremacist and extremist views fit only for bin 13 (the trash can). Wonder why they are still around and I am quite surprised anyone would read utusan these days. I guess it is a tool for umno to shiok sendiri only. As for BN component parties it is a wonder they can read this tabloid and not react. I suppose they have all become zombies.

    I suppose that is why the people have sent them to bin 13 too.

    Posted 5 years ago by Mikey Lee · Reply

  • Another reason why the government (PH) should make it a law that political parties and their proxies are not allowed to control mainstream media but instead allowed to sell their party newsletters openly to generate income.

    Posted 5 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply

  • Utusan has been fanning religious n racial provocations dangerously under Najib. They had successfully spooked the Malays to believe that if PH won, Malays will lose their rights n place. They continue to sow animosity among races n religion. This cannot go on. Yes, though we believe in freedom of speech, but Utusan has proven themselves consistently sowing discord among races, n fanning lies n provocation to gain support for Umno. They must be prosecuted. We cannot let them go on at the expense of the blood of many people who had sacrifice their lives for Malaysia so that we can live in harmony among divers religions n races.

    Posted 5 years ago by Peace Maker · Reply

  • Utusan will never change. That piece of shit is always ultra extremes practising bigotry and racist in every aspect. In the heydays of their big brother Umno , where free flow of financial providence are in abundance and a given licence of authority to vilify Umno adversaries with unbounded arrogance sadly only to self build up of dismal unprofessional journalism They were in denial state that they are thriving and have many followers. When being caught and reprimanded it is all a charade of their false remorse but when race and religious comes a calling, they are back to their old self on their evil pranks and sinister activities. Now it has unfold that Utusan do not have what it takes to make a neccesary changes to survive. Parasites and leaches needs feeding and when supplies are short it just have to die. Bury Utusan for good please for it is a bane to unity and no value added contribution to the Malaysia Baru

    Posted 5 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply