by uppercaise
Utusan Malaysia has set itself on a collision course with journalism, press freedom, trade unionism and human rights by suspending senior reporter Hata Wahari pending the outcome of a domestic inquiry and subjecting him to house arrest.
Hata is clearly being victimised by Utusan management, for being a union president.
Photo courtesy of GRAlthough employed by Utusan Malaysia, he is not merely an employee, and not merely a reporter of 16 years’ standing.
He is the elected national president of the National Union of Journalists, the trade union that represents working journalists in all the Malaysian newspapers and other media.
Hata is being victimised by Utusan management who are threatening his livelihood as an Utusan employee for the statements he has made as the president of a trade union representing the interests of all working journalists.
As president of NUJ, it is his duty to speak up to protect the livelihoods of his fellow journalists, and to uphold the principles of journalism, on which the profession is based.
Utusan want to shut him up. By doing so, Utusan Malaysia management are standing against those who want the press to be free, those who want the press to do a professional job, those who want the press to hold high standards.
Instead, Utusan management wants the press to line up on the side of thugs — in clear violation of Hata’s individual human rights, Utusan has placed him under “house arrest” requiring him to remain within his neighbourhood — “not allowed to leave the boundaries of your residence”.
It is not the first time Utusan management has acted against those holding office in NUJ, they have done so twice before.
Utusan management’s actions are more than a threat to Hata’s livelihood, it is also an attempt at silencing journalists who believe in a free press.
It is also a threat to all unionists, when an employee becomes subject to in-house disciplinary actions for carrying out his duties as a trade unionist. The Malaysian Trades Union Congress should intervene.
Since his election in October, Hata has been outspoken about the ills of the profession, and of the pressing need for media reforms and restoration of press freedom. He has been interviewed by Malaysiakini, Malaysian Insider and Merdeka Review and has discussed the declining circulations of the main newspapers and pointed to political interference in Utusan Malaysia’s editorial coverage, giving rising to racialistic, biased and slanted coverage as examples of threats to the livelihoods of journalists and the threats to their professionalism.
He has pointed out how Utusan’s circulation has fallen, partly because of these actions — thus directly affecting the future of journalists there. Not to mention the many years that pay scales and benefits of Utusan employees have languished while others moved on.
There is little that Hata Wahari has said about Utusan that is not already common knowledge. Yet he has also been asked, absurdly, to explain his statements about Ibrahim Ali and Perkasa — who have nothing to do with managing Utusan.
In all that Hata has said, he has stood up for professionalism, for upholding journalistic principles, and for a free press.
Utusan management’s actions against Hata Wahari are very clear.
It shows that the present Utusan management, and their political controllers at Umno headquarters and PMO, clearly do not believe in professionalism, high standards, journalistic principles, a free press, or an individual’s right to speak.
© 2011 uppercaise
uppercaise 
There must be some misunderstanding or misreporting or maybe a Zionist conspiracy which usually accounts for misquotes in M’sia, especially those “uttered” by our most honourable Ministers.
No newspaper organization has the legal power to subject any of its employees to house arrest. A citizen may only be subject to house arrest I think under the Rural Banishment Order or Restricted Movement Order or some such Act by a judge, subject to a hearing in court. That much must be clear to even any 5-year old here. There was a recent case where the police had ordered house arrest of an Indian young man.
So, what gives? Has Utusan become the new Home Ministry or Justice or Police Dept or is someone hyperventilating?
dpp
we are all of 1 race, the Human Race
Umno mouthpieces like Utusan Shit Times and New Shit Times under Ahmad Talib, the Goebbels of Malaysia, continue to spew hatred and putrid lies in defiance of public opinion. These bastards have overstepped the boundaries of human decency, impudently cocking a snook at civil society. Now they have taken the role of judge, jury and executioner by putting a reporter who dared to speak up under house arrest. Reminds me of NST’s reign of terror under Kadir Jasin and Ahmad Talib when journalists who defied the management were euphemistically moved to insignificant positions, and sometimes even sacked, after show trials. These mutts take pride in peddling lies and firing up racial rhetoric in an already febrile political climate stoked by Perkasa and right wing demagogues. The only way to stop the rot is by boycotting the papers. Let’s finish them, once and for all. Translate our visceral loathing of these bastards into action by throwing these papers into the dustbin of history. He he he.
journalists, if we can in all earnesty call ourselves that, should stick together and stand up for this guy. He was speaking as NUJ had, not as Utusan employee… different hats. but we deal with mad hatters..
“…subjecting him to house arrest?…”
They want to give a good severance package or what?
This UMNO people, like Gerakan and MCA they never “hear” Azan! Those who want it loud don’t understand what Azan is! 😉
Good, Hata Wahari can now sue the pants off of Utusan and its management. Go git ’em!
Hata Wahari is also the current president of the Confederation of ASEAN Journalists. Has any of the CAJ members in ASEAN spoken up for Hata? Tarak langsung. Hata, like his other comrades in Hoodusan who have been sacked in the past, will be left to his own fate. Malaysians don care about press freedom or professionalism. No doubt some will go online and curse the system, but that is only so far they will go. What is going to happen to Hata’s family if he is sacked? Said Zahari’s family paid a heavy price for his principles. Common you people, put the money where your mouth is.
Absolutely, the people who always complain about lousy journalism and lousy newspapers should now put their money where their mouth is and stand up for Hata, the NUJ and for all journalists. If the fight for press freedom is left to journalists alone it will never happen. Journalists have no muscle, on their own or together; it’s press owners who have muscle. The muscle for journalists must come from the people.
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