‘Rocky’ returns to Malay Mail as CEO
(The Malaysian Insider) – Mahathir-era newsman Ahirudin ‘Rocky’ Attan, known for his Rockybru weblog that was critical of the Abdullah Administration, has been named as chief executive officer of the 112-year-old The Malay Mail, which is jointly owned by the Umno-controlled Media Prima Berhad media group.
With the former editor’s appointment as CEO, it is understood that current chief editor Tony Francis is expected to leave with immediate effect.
But the afternoon tabloid will remain under Dynahall Sdn Bhd, which is owned equally by Datuk Ibrahim Mohd Noor’s Simpletech and Media Prima’s Gabungan Kesturi Sdn Bhd.
“Rocky was named CEO today and Tony Francis will leave immediately. Malay Mail will remain outside NSTP,” an editorial executive with the tabloid told The Malaysian Insider.
“Morale is a bit low as the staff are shocked,” he added, saying the staff had tried to prevent Francis from resigning.
Ahirudin was acting editor of The Malay Mail from 2001 and was later made the editor. He resigned from the newspaper in February 2006 and was said to have received a substantial pay-off. He began blogging in May 2006 and was made pro-tem chairman of a blogger group, criticising then NSTP executives and is facing a lawsuit from them. The NSTP executives have since left the media company.
The Malay Mail, founded in 1896, was part of The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad until it sold its 100 per cent interest for RM5 million to Dynahall. The purchase did not include the newspaper’s archives, which is seen as a valuable commodity.
Simpletech’s owner Ibrahim is a politically-connected businessman with a stake in Blue Inc that owns a string of lifestyle magazines.
Gabungan Kesturi is a substantial shareholder of public-listed Media Prima Berhad, which in turn is a major shareholder in NSTP Berhad.
Ahirudin was also president of the National Press Club between 2003 and 2007 and recently re-elected as president again. His former editor Datuk Ahmad A. Talib has just been appointed editorial adviser to the NSTP group which led to speculation that Ahirudin would return in a senior post.
