Bernama Bhd sues Bernama TV for debts
By Wee Choo Keong
Why must the staff become the victims of mismanagement?
With the involvement of Yg Bhg Datuk Mohd Suhaimi bin Abdullah (Ketua Bahagian, UMNO Gunung Jerai), it smells of UMNO connection!
On 29 July 2009 I have received a comment in my blog concerning BERNAMA BHD and Bernama TV under my posting of 17 July 2009 as follow:
(An excerpt of the comment from Anonymous on July 29, 2009 at 3:47 am🙂
“Kami warga perkhidmatan audio visual/bernama tv ingin meluahkan rasa tidak puas hati dengan pengurusan bernama yang membuat keputusan drastik terhadap kami yang terpaksa ditukarkan ke beberapa jabatan mengikut kepakaran masing2. Mulai 1/8,ada yang terpaksa pergi ke RTM dan beberapa jabatan tertentu di BERNAMA. Masalahnya penukaran tempat2 tersebut di buat dalam jangka masa 3 hari sahaja.
Secara asas kami bersetuju ditukarkan untuk memberi tekanan kepada btv synergy,cuma keputusan ini yang secara drastik melibatkan masalah2 terutama kepada mereka yang ditukarkan ke RTM. YB Wee ada sesetengah petugas perkhidmatan audio visual yelah bertugas di Bernama lebih 12 tahun, terpaksa menanggung kos akibat terpaksa berpindah ke RTM. Kata mereka ini adalah sementara, tetapi setelah banyak kali kami dijanjikan banyak harapan akhirnya kami yang menjadi mangsa.”
I am shocked by this comment and immediately did some checking. BERNAMA Bhd has taken action to terminate the agreement with Bernama TV Synergy Sdn Bhd (BTV) to broadcast news under the name of Bernama TV. BERNAMA Bhd has also filed a civil suit in the High Court to recover a debt of more than RM15 million from the BTV outfit. This is consistent with the answer given by the Minister of Information, Communication and Culture, YB Datuk Rais Yatim, to my question in Parliament on 17 June 2009 as follows:
“ BERNAMA TV dikendalikan oleh syarikat usaha sama BERNAMA dengan syarikat swasta di mana BERNAMA diberikan saham percuma sebanyak 33%. BERNAMA seterusnya membenarkan jenamanya digunakan.
Selepas beberapa peringatan diberikan kepada syarikat persendirian tersebut, tindakan mahkamah telah pun diambil untuk mendapatkan hutang tertunggak tersebut.”
Three Days’ Transfer Notice
First and foremost, it was most unfair for any organization to transfer its staff with only 3 days’ notice (1st August) for whatever reasons because of job security and other personal commitments. The staff should not be treated like a “football” to be kicked at the whim and fancy of the Board of Directors. I sincerely hope that the management of BERNAMA Bhd will take into consideration the welfare of the staff and give them at least a good one month notice for them to prepare themselves and to make the informed decision on the transfer.
Why must members of staff be made the victims of corporate mismanagement by the head of an organization?
The mismanagement:
BERNAMA Bhd was set up under the BERNAMA ACT 1967 with its objective clearly stated in Section 4 of the Act “to seek for and present complete, objective and impartial news matter of public interest and national interest, and distribute such news”. There is no provision in the Act for BERNAMA Bhd to allow its corporate name “BERNAMA” to be used by a private entity.
But the management of BERNAMA Bhd not only allowed its name to be used by BERNAMA TV but also to incorporate a private company known as BERNAMA TV Synergy Sdn Bhd (Bernama TV). Bernama Bhd has also allowed BTV to use the BERNAMA official logo. Bernama TV also appears in the BERNAMA official website (www.bernama.com/aboutbernama/bi/index.htm), as though it is part of Bernama Bhd.
Up till now Bernama TV has no broadcasting licence. It is riding on the broadcasting licence of ASTRO and yet it gives the impression to the public that it is part of our national news agency, BERNAMA Bhd.
As at 19 June 2009 the registered particulars of BERNAMA TV Synergy Sdn Bhd are as follows:
– It was incorporated on 14 January 2008.
– Its prominent directors are:
