It was a posting by a top media boss that got tongues wagging.
Karangkraf Media Group chairman Datuk Hussamuddin Yaacub, in standing by his tweets and Facebook postings this afternoon, took a swipe at officers representing ministers and ministries who “threaten to boycott” the media if they do not sing the same tune.
Rupanya Di tahun 2021 pun masih ada pegawai menteri/kementerian yang berotak bingai, siap boleh ugut media untuk batalkan kontrak iklan dari kementerian tempat dia bertugas, jika media beri ruangan kepada sipolan& sipolan. Siap ugut nak boikot lagi. Ingat boleh tongkat langit ke?
— HussamuddinYaacub (@Hussamuddin) February 10, 2021
Kami buat akhbar bebas (watan/eksklusif/sinarHarian) sejak tahun 80’an lagi. BN/PH pun tak berapa suka dgn pendirian kami, tapi mereka tak pernah ugut malah siap engaged kami. Hubungan kekal mesra, walaupun “benci tapi rindu”😉. Geng baru ni lain macam pula.TSMY kena tengok2 juga
— HussamuddinYaacub (@Hussamuddin) February 10, 2021
Speaking to Twentytwo13, Hussamuddin said his message was “quite clear” and it was a problem faced by most media but “no one has dared to speak openly.”
“We know who they are,” he said, in reference to alleged little Napoleons who go around pushing their weight on media organisations.
“This young ciku thinks he is so big,” he said, stopping short of naming the person in his tweet.
He went on to say: “Siapa yang makan cili, dia terasa pedas.”
He also said the relationship between most ministries and the media was “very bad” compared to the previous administrations.
“Najib’s (Datuk Seri Najib Razak) time was the best … he had a good media team and they had good PR (public relations) even though they may not have liked us.
“Even though Sinar Harian (a daily under Karangkraf Media) gave space to the opposition, he (Najib) still engaged with us. We gave Pakatan Harapan (leaders) space when they were the opposition. When PH became the government, (its leaders) were not happy when we gave Barisan Nasional space. But they (PH) continued to engage with us.
“With this (current) breed (of officials), the engagement is poor, including at the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) level.”
Hussamuddin, who referred himself as being “fiercely independent”, said it was time for officials in the present administration to act professionally.
“Respect the media and engage with us. But do not stop us from publishing (news),” he said.
Here’s the round-up of The News Normal today.
RISE IN MALE POPULATION
They are now more males than females in Malaysia.
The Department of Statistics said the figures were recorded in the fourth quarter last year, with 16.83 million males and 15.9 million females.
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the total gender ratio (citizens and non-citizens) was 106 males to 100 females and for citizens, it was 102 males to 100 females.
During the same period, the nation’s population was estimated at 32.73 million, an increase of 0.4 per cent compared to the fourth quarter of 2019 (32.59 million).
MAK INTAN OF PAK MIE SHELTER DIES
Halijah Idris, 71, the caretaker of Pak Mie Shelter died today at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar after a long battle with ovarian cancer.
Halijah, better known as Mak Intan, was the widow of Md Azmi Ismail or Pak Mie.
In 1991, the couple opened Pak Mie Shelter in Alor Setar where they cared for stray dogs and cats.
In 2016, Mak Intan received the “Dignifying a Profession Award” from the Rotary Club of Petaling Jaya.
EX-TNB HEAD TAKES OVER AT EPF
Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan has been appointed as the Employees Provident Fund’s (EPF) chief executive officer (CEO) effective March 1.
Amir Hamzah, the former TNB president/CEO, succeeds Tunku Alizakri Alias who has been EPF’s CEO since Aug 20, 2018.
FORGET HOSTING MALAYSIA OPEN THIS YEAR
Any organiser would be in two minds – to ditch the Malaysia Open and save money or host the event to get competitive badminton in the country going. Perhaps the money could be invested at the grassroots instead.
