J-Kom chief confirms sending resignation letter

Community Communications Department director-general Mohammad Agus Yusoff has reportedly confirmed he has tendered his resignation.

However, he told Malaysiakini he was not pressured into resigning. Instead, former academician said he wants to pursue a job offer that he felt is better suited to him.

“The question of being pressured into resigning does not arise. There is no reason for me to entertain it and I can disregard it if there is such pressure,” he said when contacted today.

He said he is giving one month advance notice of his resignation as required.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that the notice was sent to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday, less than a year after Agus was appointed on Feb 2.

“If my resignation is accepted by the prime minister, I will resign immediately,” he was quoted as saying.

J-Kom was rebranded from the BN-era Special Affairs Department (Jasa), which was often associated with government propaganda.

The department has been accused of failing to handle attacks from opposition-aligned internet users on matters pertaining to race, religion, and royalty (3R) issues.

Among others, Johor DAP secretary Marina Ibrahim demanded Agus to be replaced, claiming that the government’s information does not reach its intended targets.

A Perikatan Nasional MP also recently urged for J-Kom to be disbanded as the department allegedly failed its designated roles, including nurturing a knowledge-based community by strengthening constitutional education, as well as political education among 18-year-old first-time voters.

Prior to his role in J-Kom, Agus was a political science lecturer at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia until his retirement, after which he has spent time teaching in Sulawesi.

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