updated version
Ailing national daily The Sun today sacked 256 of its remaining 411 staff in one of the biggest retrenchment exercises in the countrys journalistic history. They join about 60 others who were axed last month. According to the company, the mass sacking was part of its measures to reduce operation costs, which currently records a monthly loss of about RM2 million.In a press statement, the new management said it had developed a plan to turn the newspaper around and transform it into a viable publication.
Sun Media Corp managing director Philip Karuppiah said the plan was designed to return the company to profitability and in the process, save the jobs of as many staff as the new business model can accommodate .
We obviously cannot continue with the current model. Changes are already in place to ensure that our aims are fulfilled as quickly and as smoothly as possible, he said.
The managing director revealed that up to RM4 million will be paid out to those affected by the retrenchment exercise.
Sad but relieved
When contacted, retrenched editorial staff said they were sad but relieved that the retrenchment exercise, which they had anticipated since last month, was finally here.
I feel sad over what happened in the past month especially to those who were retrenched earlier, said senior journalist Toh An Nee.
You stayed because you believed in the paper, said the journalist who has been with the daily for nearly nine years.
Echoing Tohs sentiments was her long-time colleague, Arfaeza Abdul Aziz, who said: We started in 1994 when the newspaper was still in its early stage.
According to Arfaeza, only nine journalists and two editors were left on the dailys newsdesk.
It is believed that plans are afoot for the national daily to relaunch itself as a free Klang Valley-based paper.
This new suburban newspaper is expected to be similar to The Leader , an English-language weekly distributed for free by Utusan Melayu in the Klang Valley in the mid-90s. However, the venture failed after a few years.
Amicable relationship
Meanwhile, Human Resources Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn had earlier declined to comment on whether the retrenchment exercise was legal.
I wouldnt want to speculate. But from what Im told, there have been some very amicable discussions between the union representatives and the management representatives of the Sun Media. So, I will go on that, he told reporters in Putrajaya.
The minister had explained that he wanted to build on their amicable relationship so that the retrenchment procedure would abide by the provisions of the collective agreement.
If they violate the conditions of the CA, of course we will tell them [that] they have violated and therefore they have to take action to rectify that, he said.
He also revealed that the National Union of Journalists was satisfied with the discussions held with the management.
Trouble dawns
Trouble began to dawn on The Sun when the daily published a front-page report of a plot to kill the countrys top two leaders.
The Dec 25 report was criticised by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and this prompted the management to disclaim the report. Several, including senior editorial staff, were suspended.
Following this, journalists of the beleaguered daily took to the streets calling for the reinstatement of their colleagues and payment of their bonuses.
On Jan 11, the management retrenched more than 40 employees citing financial reasons. But the axed staff claimed that picketers and union members were deliberately targeted.
More than a week later, it was announced that fledgling media company Nexnews had bought a substantial stake in The Sun .
