TV chief entry to PMO fuels polls talk
By The Malaysian Insider
Umno-linked Media Prima Bhd’s television chief Datuk Seri Ahmad Farid Ridzuan has been seconded to the Prime Minister’s Department effective January 1, fuelling speculation of snap polls next year.
The Malaysian Insider understands that Farid is taking along five television executives with him for the secondment which is related to Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia concept.
“The full-time secondment is temporary and upon completion of the assignment, he is expected to return to assume his role in the company,” said Media Prima group managing director Datuk Amrin Awaluddin in a statement yesterday.
Amrin said that Ahmad Izham Omar, the current executive director of 8TV, CEO of Alt Media and head of Media Prima Radio Networks (MPRN), will replace Farid effective January 1.
“He will also assume the role of chief executive officer of Primeworks Studios Sdn Bhd, reporting to the group managing director,” said Amrin, adding that Izham would relinquish his position as heads of MPRN and executive director of 8TV.
In an internal memo, Media Prima named the five executives following Farid as Noor Amy Ismail, Noor Syazwani Abdul Rahman, Nurul Asyikin Ab Aziz, Nasir Taff and Eddy Sulaiman.
“Farid is an experienced advertising and media executive and that will count in working on the 1 Malaysia concept,” a Media Prima editor told The Malaysian Insider.
The prime minister’s 1 Malaysia concept has come under fire from political foes Pakatan Rakyat (PR), who accuse Najib of using public strategist APCO Worldwide’s previous campaign for former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak called One Israel.
Najib has denied the claims, saying he thought of the concept which is also the name of his blog before he became prime minister in April 2009.
Parliament suspended opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for six months last week over his claims that 1 Malaysia is a carbon-copy of One Israel. Anwar changed his tack yesterday by saying his taunt was about accountability in giving the public relations contract to APCO which he claimed was linked to undemocratic regimes.
In what was seen as a response to Anwar’s suspension, The PR government in Selangor banned the 1 Malaysia logo in all billboards in the state this week, raising an outrage among Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmakers.
Despite the furore, it is learnt that Farid and his team will work on the concept that includes the tagline “People First. Performance Now.” which former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said remains confusing to the people at large.
Farid is the second professional roped into the Najib administration in the last few months. Former Reuters Malaysia correspondent Abdul Jalil Abdul Hamid was seconded from the Securities Commission (SC) to join the prime minister’s national communication team.
The team works on messaging and communication for the entire government and has been active in ensuring positive reports in the local and international media, a role once outsourced to APCO Worldwide.
