Utusan’s inquiry violates ministry’s directive, says Hata
By Adib Zalkapli, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 — National Union of Journalists (NUJ) president Hata Wahari claimed today that his employer Utusan Melayu has ignored a human resource ministry directive to postpone an internal inquiry against him.
The Utusan Malaysia senior journalist said he had met with the Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam and representatives from the MTUC over the inquiry.
“The minister had asked the industrial relation department to order Utusan postpone the inquiry and to negotiate with NUJ Malaysia,” Hata told reporters during lunch break of the inquiry.
“I don’t think they have any respect to the minister’s request,” said Hata.
Hata has been accused of insulting Utusan’s management and tarnishing Utusan’s image through statements he issued to various news portals between September 21 and October 14 last year.
He had also caused a stir when he urged the authorities to act against Utusan’s editors for stoking racial sentiment in its reports.
Hata also blamed the drop in the national daily’s sales on the editors for pushing what he called racial rhetoric.
He was suspended on January 11 and denied entry into Utusan office throughout the course of the inquiry.
The inquiry today saw Utusan’s editor-in-chief Datuk Aziz Ishak testifying against Hata.
According to Hata, Aziz had questioned his loyalty to Utusan and whether he has a right to issue statements in his capacity as NUJ president while serving as the Umno-owned newspaper’s journalist.
“I have been a loyal staff. Prior to September 17, 2010 when I was elected NUJ president, I have never made any statement against the company,” said Hata.
The inquiry resumes at 2pm, when the decision on whether Hata could cross-examine the company’s witnesses would be made.
The domestic inquiry was first scheduled for January 17 but was later postponed to January 19.
It was then rescheduled to January 25, and was postponed again because Hata was hospitalised for chest pains.
It was postponed yet again from February 9 because of his medical check-up.
