The National Union of Journalists today said it has sought legal advice over the shocking retrenchment of some 40 staff, mostly journalists, by The Sun daily yesterday.

NUJ also condemned the "selective" targeting of NUJ members in the retrenchment exercise instead of the conventional 'last in, first out' principle.

"NUJ is taking steps to ensure that the rights and benefits of its members are protected," said its general-secretary Hong Boon How in a statement.

The umbrella body for print and broadcast journalists also expressed its 'disgust' over the retrenchment as the company had promised to consult the union prior to implementing any downsizing or cost-cutting measures.

On Monday, malaysiakini reported that NUJ officials met the company's newly-appointed executive director Frankie Tay Thiam Siew on the delay of a one-month bonus due last month to employees and another month's quantum supposed to be paid in three instalments commencing February.

Tay was said to have agreed to reply to NUJ by next Tuesday on the bonus payment. Following this, The Sun 's NUJ branch members put on hold their pickets which started on New Year's Eve.

However, when contacted today, Tay refused to comment on the meeting and the retrenchment.

Yesterday, The Sun retrenched some 40 staff, including several key figures in its NUJ branch who were instrumental in protesting against the delay of the bonus payment and the suspension of several journalists following a controversial report last month.

The others given marching orders include employees from various editorial departments such as the business desk, graphics, and photography.

Several termination letters were hand-delivered to the residences of those who were on leave.

Controversial report

A new management team swung into action at The Sun after it embroiled itself in a controversy over a Christmas-day report which quoted unnamed sources as saying that police had uncovered a plot to kill Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his deputy Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The report was picked up by international news agencies and circulated worldwide. This irked Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad who criticised the daily for sensationalist reporting, sparking a string of suspensions and resignations at the daily.

Executive director and editor-in-chief H'ng Hung Yong assumed full responsibility over the report and resigned the next day.

Lawyer VK Lingam was then appointed as company deputy chairperson and was given the task of overseeing day-to-day operations.

Following this, several editorial staff, including two journalists responsible for writing the story, were suspended pending an in-house investigation.

In an apology to Mahathir and Badawi on Dec 27, the newspaper said the allegations in the report were "baseless".

Following that, editor Andy Ng resigned in protest, saying he stood by the story.

Meanwhile, NUJ said it has set up a committee to aid its members who were retrenched. It can be reached at 03-2274 2867.

Retrenched Sun staff and supporters will hold a candlelight vigil outside the daily's office at 9.30pm tonight.

Last night, some 50 people attended a tearful candlelight vigil at the same venue. The eight-year-old newspaper owned by business tycoon Vincent Tan has a circulation of about 82,000.