YOURSAY ‘All Utusan needs to do is to practice responsible journalism and journalistic integrity, and advertisers will flock to it.'

Advertise more in Utusan, Najib tells gov't depts, GLCs

CiViC: Let me get this straight, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak "urged" government departments which are using public funds, and government-linked companies (GLCs), which are also partly in charge of public funds, to spend more on advertisements in Utusan Malaysia which ‘ironically' is owned by Umno, of which the prime minister is president.

Hmm, if I didn't read wrongly, doesn't that construe as conflict of interest at least, if not breach of trust?

Kingfisher: The PM has perhaps made one of the most unintelligent suggestion in his career by publicly identifying and encouraging government departments to advertise in this particular newspaper.

At the outset it indicates that he has scant regard or that he has total disregard for the sentiments of many Malaysians who have urged this paper to be more responsible in its reporting on issues that impinge on race relations and multiracial harmony.

Umno elections are imminent and his bold-faced announcement may be viewed as electioneering of a reckless nature.

As his "urging" refers to public funds, many would also consider his motives as a demonstration of an unhealthy arrogance from a leader of his status and even for one who represents the most powerful partner in BN, not to mention his presumptions about neutrality in the civil service.

Kim Quek: In asking government departments and state-owned corporations to prop up Utusan financially, Najib has committed the crime of abuse of power and corruption by interfering with state administration to channel public funds to an organisation belonging to his political party, for which the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must promptly act.

Further, Najib has also lost his moral authority to lead the nation by publicly endorsing and lauding a newspaper habitually inciting racial and religious animosity and constantly indulging in defamation, for which it has been penalised by the court innumerable times.

By heaping such ridiculous praise on Utusan , Najib has virtually driven the final nail in the coffin of his transformation and 1Malaysia hype.

Imraz Ikhbal: The commercial value of any advertising space of any daily is directly correlated to the number of its readers. It takes no Einstein to figure out that the marketability of any news media is determined by the quality of the news it reports and the value it brings to the readers.

In the case of Utusan , "quality of news" is in most cases an irrelevant jargon since "news" by definition are reported facts, not concocted fabrications. If tales are what people seek, then novels are far more interesting and perhaps even educational.

For now, the likes of Utusan are no more fit than for the purposes of wrappings for banana fritters and nasi lemak.

I beg to disagree with our premier. Seeking GLCs' support on advertising space is not the way to make Utusan sustainable, let alone push to it to a higher stage.

Compelling it to report truths and facts instead is the only way to resuscitate any journalistic dignity it ever had. Alas, under this ruling regime, that is at best wishful thinking.

Tehachapi: No lesser an Umno leader than its president and prime minister of Malaysia himself has admitted openly in public his endorsement for Utusan's media abuses.

Utusan is just a party propaganda machine, a mouthpiece of the party but publicly funded by taxpayers' money without accountability. So when Utusan paid the fines for seditious statements, it is you and me who paid. How blunt and blatant can it get?

There is no sense of impropriety or any hint of discomfort for such blatant abuse of executive power. This is incredible and most alarming. Is the PM taking us all in the country as bloody fools?

Umno is clearly hoping to turn Malaysia into Umno's fiefdom, making a mockery of our constitutional monarchy government and the laws of the land. Should the people continue to tolerate this sort of mischief? God, please have mercy on this nation and its citizens.

Malaysian Born: The paper has given no indication that it was going to change anytime in the near future, this now confirms it.

We need to go forward with the principle of freedom of speech and affirm the ability for anyone, even the dregs of society as represented by Utusan , to have the right to be heard and take it from there.

Nothing they say is taken seriously, they are depending on being an ultra scandal sheet to stay afloat, with subsidies.

Appum: What work/business ethics is the PM teaching Utusan ? No need to work or go out to get business for yourself because I'm getting the business to come to you?

That's the way to "ensure the Malay daily's capability to compete in the long run"? Which business school is he from?

And how many more crutches is he going to throw to them? How about teaching ‘Ketuanan diri' for a change?

Kairos: It is simply amazing that the PM, who is supposed to be the PM for all races in Malaysia should direct government agencies to financially a newspaper that untruthful, unethical and blatantly racist.

Instead of reconciling the nation as he has promised after the elections, the PM seems to be more radically Muslim and openly Malay biased. It does not augur well for the country. It sends alarm bells to the non-Malays. What kind of a national leader is this?

What amazes me more is that the other bumiputeras in East Malaysia, whose opinions and voice matter, are conspicuously silent. Either they have been soundly bought over or they are cowards.

MCA Member: It is meaningless to depend on artificial support to survive. This sort of mentality has to go for Malaysia to thrive.

All Utusan needs to do is to practice responsible journalism and journalistic integrity and advertisers will flock to it. If not, it will do more harm than good to my product by advertising in Utusan .

Swipenter: Instead of encouraging Utusan to be more factual and professional in their reporting the 1Malay-sia PM did exactly the opposite - directing government departments and GLCs to support them financially to continue printing and fabricating lies and inciting racial hatred.

How many legal suits have Utusan lost when taken to court for printing lies? There are more to come.

EvenSteven: Is Najib moonlighting as an advertising salesman for Utusan ?

Abasir: Business plan for Utusan : Count the number of ministries, government agencies, GLCs and crony companies like Telekom Malaysia (TM). Allocate each one a full-page advertisement and charge them the full rate.

Draft a memo for Najib to sign as PM, directing each addressee to take up one page just once a year. The ad revenue should be sufficient to cover operational costs every month.

Sit back and watch the money rolling in and then organise a course on entrepreneurship for all budding Umno entrepreneurs. (Social responsibility remember? Must pay back, no?)

Anonymous #42771671: Harimau mati meninggalkan belang, manusia mati meninggalkan nama, Utusan mati meninggalkan jalan!

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