Bernama TV (BTV) staff can breathe a sigh of relief, as their overdue January wages are expected to be banked into their accounts tomorrow.

The station owned by private entity Bernama TV Synergy had not paid workers since Dec 24.

Bernama general manager Zulkefli Salleh told Malaysiakini that the news agency has given Bernama TV Synergy an advance to pay the staff their January and February salaries.

The loan was announced during a meeting between Communications and Multimedia Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek ( right ) and BTV staff last Friday.

During the meeting it is also understood that the government via Bernama had announced plans to take over full ownership of BTV and Bernama TV Synergy.

“We have to work it out with the shareholders, because we don’t know what is going to happen yet, whether they want to surrender their shares or not,” Zulkefli told Malaysiakini when asked about BTV salaries for March and beyond.

“If possible (Bernama wants to take over), but we have to get some capital injection from the government,” he added.

Bernama currently holds a 33 percent stake in BTV, while the remaining 67 percent are held by private companies, Redberry Sdn Bhd, Hallmax Entertainment Sdn Bhd, and Standard Code Sdn Bhd.

Staff present at Friday’s meeting however told Malaysiakini that according to Shabery, the private stakeholders are reluctant to let go of their shares.

“The shareholders don’t want to sign (over their shares), so Bernama can’t take over. How to inject money? The fact is, is it fair to the government?” Shabery had allegedly said.

Malaysiakini is trying to get a response from the companies involved.

If the takeover is successful, sources present at the meeting say that BTV will cease operations for several months so that a rebranding exercise can be carried out.

The minister wants to turn BTV to into a fully English news channel, as opposed to its current model of also airing news in Bahasa, Mandarin and Tamil.

Shabery had said last year that a multilingual channel was not good for ratings, and was why BTV could not make profit to pay salaries with.

The transition into a full English channel will likely result in layoffs, as Shabery had allegedly told the staff not everyone would be absorbed into the rebranded channel.

“What he said is not new. Those who can manage to find a new job will resign.

“Others are very worried, forced to face a future which is full of uncertainties,” a Mandarin desk staffer told Malaysiakini on condition of anonymity.