Kathi off to Sunday Times, Lionel is new CNE.
A. Kathiresan, the NST's Chief News Editor who was told to stop his column in the paper for his seemingly sympathetic views of Hindraf's course, is "to be made"* Associate Editor with The Sunday Times, the tabloid's Sunday edition, from January 1, 2008.
A memo to the staff today said with that deputy CNE Lionel Morais will be promoted to Chief News Editor. Lionel was my crime editor when I was the Editor of the Malay Mail between 2002 and last year.
The memo also announced the promotions of Mustapha Kamil as Executive Editor of Business Times and Lokman Mansor as his deputy. Both were key people when I was the Editor of Business Times between 1998 and 2001. (The contract for Rajen Moses, who was imported in 2004 to "beef up" the Business Times, has ended. Rajen is believed to be heading for a senior position in a PR firm in the new year).
Fauziah Ismail, who has been with the group for 23 years, has been promoted to Deputy CNE. Zubaidah Abu Bakar has been made the NST Political Correspondent. She was attached to the NST Political Desk when NST had one until it was demolished in 2004.
I would like to congratulate all of them, especially Lionel and Mustapha. They must have no fear if they hope to uphold the basic principles of journalism where they are, and I hope they will have the strength of character to remain true to the profession.
* "to be made" is how Kathiresan's appointment has been worded in the memo. I am not sure if it's a lateral transfer or a promotion. In any case, he will report to Joseph Soosai, who is the Editor of Sunday Times, has been retained despite having reached retirement age.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
After Hindraf, NST gets new Chief News Editor
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ReplyDeletePromotions? You and I know it is a big joke. All these promotions are just a front, brudder. You and I know that those who are promoted have to play the Umno game. You play the DAP or Pas game, or if you are a woolly headed liberal, you know you are dead. So enough of this sham, New Shit Times. As far as I know, Joseph Soosai has strongly recommended Kathirasen to be his successor if ever Soosai retires. As far as I know, Joseph Soosai has made himself indispensable, and talk is he will be the Sunday Times head honcho for a long time, thanks to his connections with Syed Nadzri. As for the other appointments and promotions, God help the New Shit Times. Enough said.
ReplyDeleteAs this blog makes reference to Hindraf, I cannot help but remember the statement made by Samy Vellu this week that MIC was asked by the PM to give a report on Hindu temples in Malaysia.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why the PM did not make the announcement? Or did the PM actually say such things or make such request?
This is the same minister who promised to:
a. Refund all contributions made by Maika shareholders
b. Build a 5-star hotel beside the present MIC building at Jalan Rahmat KL.
c. Uplift Indians livelihood through Koperasi Menara Maju or something to the effect
And we all know what is going on!
He also issued a statement after Hindraf gathering that he actually submits reports every six months to the PM on Indian issues and concerns.
Assuming that the report submissions are true, now one wonders what the heck was in those reports. Looks like he did not include this Hindu temple matters in such reports?
But he was telling everyone that he did bring up Hindu temple matters in such reports!
So now we need to ask this intelligent minister, why another round of reports?
Could it be the earlier reports were in Tamil language?
This minister has actualy sinned a lot - cheating at least two generations of Malaysian Indians for almost 30 years with false promises, again and again.
No wonder his personal life is so full of potholes - and he still does not get the message!
Its OK, we need a showcase of how a minister should not be - and we need not search for other personalities.
This minister with planted hair on his numbskull is enough!
If history is any guide, NST has the dirty habit of promoting mutts, sods and monkeys to high posts and then dumping them unceremoniously. If history is again any guide, the present bunch of promoted mutts will again be dumped in the next round of charade promotions. This is not surprising in NST's treacherous pits of duplicity, lies and idiocy.
ReplyDeletethis promotion is a big joke.
ReplyDeleteHindraf leaders should thank the NST for being so supportive of Indians. Many of its top execs are Indians -- K.P. Waran, Kathi, Joe Soosay, Chandra, Theresa Manavalan and Lionel Morais. It is one institution which Hindraf cannot accuse of being discriminatory against Indians. Why, even the chief sub of the NST is Indian. The chosen ones must play the game. I have little reason to believe that you, Rocky, would play it any differently had you been chosen to head the NST. Be honest. When you were with the NST, you toed the official line too. So don't hold it against others who are also not able to put values above self when caught in the same bind. I was there. I saw it all. Like nstman, I was tired of the politics being played out across the editorial floor. I'm glad I left.
ReplyDeletewhat goes around comes around
ReplyDelete"to be made", "posted", "placed" etcetc, whats the fuss!
ReplyDeleteSdr lipreader, no newspaper group is more Malaysian in its employment than the NSTP.
ReplyDeleteI was there for decades, rising from ordinary reporter to senior many positions. We were never racist.
Of course over the years, as more educated and bilingual Malays joined the group they excelled, but not at the expense of the Chinese, Indians and others.
The Malay editors especially the bilingual ones took a higher risk and suffered greater scrutiny and sometimes punishment. The non-Malay editors have inherently been playing safe. They do not get involved or are not required to get involved in partisan politics. So when Malay editors were sacked or moved sideways like AKJ, Munir Majid and Noordin Sophie, or imprisoned like Samad Ismail, Samani dan Ahmad Sebi, the non-Malay editors were often spared. Even Kallimullah Hassan cannot be considered a Malay editor nor was he experienced enough to bring integrity to the group. Like all today's crop of editors he was not sufficiently bilingual when compared to oldtimers like Samad, Mazlan Nordin, Ahmad Sebi, Akj, Ahmad Rejal Arbee and Ahmad Talib.
No other newspaper groups including The Star and The Sun are as multiracial and as Malaysian as the NST, then and now. How many Malays can go up or has gone up to editor's position in these Chinese-owned companies?
In The Star, Saodah Alias the only bilingual journalist of the paper was getting too senior and too influential as political writer, so they "promoted" her to head Mstar, the Malay online newspaper of The Star.
So I hope those promoted, no matter whether they are Melayu, Cina or India, do their job well, say no to cheap political interference and continue to make NSTP and truly Malaysian workplace.
I have looked forward to reading A.Kathiresan's collumn/articles.
ReplyDeleteThey were refreshing and original.
I remember reading the Hindraf article by him and thought even of NST as a whole, for the practical view.
Kathiresan belongs to a group of writers who are not easy to come by these days.
He is certainly a treasure for NST or wherever he goes to.
I wish him well.
Lee WF.
Rice bowl journalism is not easy to disenggage from when it has become an entrenched part of media culture. Remember the time NST was helmed by Kadir Jasin? A media led by political running dogs of the establishment will never reflect the people's voice.
ReplyDeleteIt is heartning to note that there are drowning voices like Kathirasen swiming against the tide but how much can one who practices journalistic integrity do in a newspaper with foot and mouth contagion?
The Staid Times has long lost its credibility as far as thinking Malaysians are concerned. Promotions or demotions in such a institution can only be seen as "cari makan" sampai keluar. I have grown to have more respect for The Sun newspaper and its courage to go where no establishment newspaper has gone before.
Long live journalists whose rice bowl is filled with integrity and who are unashamed of upholding the convictions of their profession.
Bro
ReplyDeleteAre your mates in NT truly journalists, professionally speaking, or they are just wage-earners and writers for the Govt and the owners of the paper ie UMNO.
Many of the stringers and reporters who interview Ministers behave more like stenographers and asking silly questions, questions even a 6 year old can ask.
You know your former colleagues better, but the way the NST has been performing of late, I have little regard for their professionalism.
If they are more interested to put put on the family table, ie cari makan, then they ought not to carry the title of journalists to their names.
To be a true-blue journalist, NST is the wrong newspaper to be seen working with.
Sorry for the let-down.
If NST wants to restore it's pride and gain wider readership, it must be credible and non-political. But then, is this possible in any of our mainstream newspaper ?
ReplyDeleteI salute Kathi for his article. It's not being sympathetic to Hindraf as he knows that some of the demand are ridicolous but being symphatetic to the poor Indian community as a whole. I'm a Chinese and I know that many Indians are below the poverty level.
Bro,
ReplyDeleteYou know who fixed this up? it must be that KaliUlar, the unseen hand.
When you have pseudo journalists running a papers this is what you get. They lack professionalism. They play politics but they dare not go into the political arena.
They are also mercenaries trying to please their political master at the expense of NST. These are national traitors who must be brought to justice when Mr I Do Not Know PM is thrown out of office SOON.
The Ular and the 4th Floor Boys pleae take note.
Bru,
ReplyDeleteAny mainstream newspaper will be expected to toe the official line, one way or another, regardless of who the editorial bosses are. This you know very well. But the difference is in the manner in which this is done. When you were running the malay mail, your newspaper managed this well, balancing between professional journalism and official position of the newspaper group. At least your reporters dared to ask questions, or were trained to ask questions.
Today, the NST is nothing than a dressed-up propaganda machine for the Govt, and that too only for some members of the Govt! From old hacks in the industry, they liken the nst to what the Star was (and maybe still is) today. The NST, they said "is owned by Umno, run by the MIC and champion the cause of the DAP."
Betul kah?
Long time ago, the Indians were the dominant force in the then Straits Times. But today, it is sad to note that Indians have been reduced to playing the role of mandores in the NST, the official newsletter of Umno. They take their orders from Umnoputras, and their main task is to keep everyone in line. They are promoted to positions which are to all intents and purposes powerless. Their main role is to kick arse, or to brutally suppress dissent. The Chinese are different. They treat the NST as a shelter, or rather as a disembarking point to pursue future careers. NST readers who wish to correct me can always express their views through Rocky, the best GEIC NST never had.
ReplyDeleteYou got to be kidding me, man. Lionel Morais, Chief News Editor? Shitting me or what!! And the stuff I read about Kathirasen here is big-time laugh. Yeah, to say that this guy is superb is like saying R.Nadeswaran is a good editor!!
ReplyDeleteMy reading of the promotions/transfers is that Balai Berita is breathing its last breath.
These people arent going to infuse fresh energy into this dying institution. Instead, they are gonna speed up her death.
There is not a single person in Balai Berita who can lead the paper. Even Syed Nadzri.
Why? Because KaliMullah calls the shots. And he should he held responsible for the shitty state that the NST is in now. For the record, the NST began going down the sewers during the time of Kadir Jasin.
I still feel you, bro,would have made a fine GE/GEIC and would have been the only one to take KaliMullah by his throat.
By the way, is it true bro that Tony Francis is the head honcho of the Malay Mail after its sale to the Blue Inc boss, Ibrahim?
Can you enlighten us on who is slated to run the paper, now that it is widely anticipated that Yushaimi and his sidekick Yusri have failed to turnaround the paper?
nstman,, stop whineing like a swine at the slaughter house . the kitchen gets too hot for you !!! get out of it !
ReplyDeleteEngkau orang ni pun satu, tak suka baca nst, bacalah star. banyak iklan. boleh tengok harga diskaun ayam kat giant hypermarket. tak pun baca sun, suratkabar berwibawa yg dulu buang reporters dia ramai2 tu. tak pun beli komputer, baca blog. baru la memenuhi citarasa intellectual. apa lah nak kecoh2. tak suka kerja kat nst tapi cuma pandai tulis bahasa orang putih, kerja la kat star atau sun...kat situ semua kaum boleh jadi boss, yea tak? tak pecaya, check la peratusan kaum yg jadi kuli dengan yg jadi boss kat suratkabar2 tu. lepas tu compare dengan nst. mesti terkejut punya. nak lagi senang, jadi blogger, boleh la tulis ikut citarasa sendiri. baru ada integriti. betul tak? relaks la yea.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone sincerely believe Malay Mail can be resurrected? If ever Malay Mail is resurrected to its former self, i will bet Lazarus will surely rise from the dead. Of course it wont happen. Actually Malay Mail was slowly regaining its footing a few years ago under Rocky. Although Rocky was unorthodox in his ways, he brought a ray of hope to a dying paper. In fact, circulation actually went past the 50000 mark. But sad to say, NST's U-turns and lack of transparency meant Malay Mail was sucked back into the treacherous pit of NST's trademark of indecisiveness, stupidity, idiocy. Heard Tony Francis has been approached to lay the groundwork for the new-look paper, and the talk is he wants Chandra, the present production editor of NST, to help him. Be that as it may, nothing, not even the tag team of Tony and Chandra, can bring humpty dumpty together again.
ReplyDeleteLet me give you one example of what The Star has become today. On a day there were other pressing issues, it used a rehashed piece as Page 1 on Jan 1. The headline was:
ReplyDeleteEyes on roads
By ROYCE CHEAH
royce@thestar.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: Motorists beware. Cameras at thousands of locations around the country will be tracking traffic offenders and bad drivers.
The cameras form the basis for the soon-to-be-introduced Automated Enforcement System (AES) which will provide round-the-clock checks on traffic.
The locations for the cameras were jointly identified by the police, Road Safety Department, Malaysian Institute for Road Safety and Research (Miros) and the Road Transport Department (JPJ).
Miros director-general Prof Dr Radin Umar Radin Sohadi said the cameras would be placed at locations where motorist have been known to speed and beat the red light and at accident-prone areas.
“We studied possible locations based on the roads where there are speed related problems, especially where single-vehicle accidents occur, when motorists go into a curve too quickly.”
“The idea is for the cameras to focus on those who flout the law and have bad driving habits. As for those who make errors or lapses, that will be handled by education programmes and training,” he added.
JPJ deputy director-general Datuk Solah Mat Hassan said authorities would be meeting again to discuss where to actually place the cameras.
Although no clear timeline has been given for the full implementation of the AES, testing for the system is said to be starting early next year.
AND LOOK AT THE ARCHIVES OF ALL NEWSPAPERS ON THE SUBJECT:
Malay Mail 25 Dec 2007
The programme is aimed at cultivating five-star drivers and will focus on road safety. Part of the new implementations would include the installation of video cameras and sensors in test vehicles to ensure objective monitoring of students while driving. "It is a well mooted idea," Safety Driving Centre Sdn Bhd managing director C. T. Balan.
NST 22 Dec
The drivers were caught by closed-circuit television cameras driving on the emergency lane, jumping lights, overtaking on double lines, queue jumping and talking on handphones while driving.
Star 22 Dec
There are 19 watchtowers nationwide used to monitor traffic flow, along with 212 closed-circuit television cameras belonging to City Hall's traffic management centre.
Star Dec 2
On improving road safety, Samy Vellu said that more cameras would be installed along highways using the gantry system to catch traffic offenders, especially those who speed.
NST Nov 23
The cameras will zoom onto the vehicle number plate and a summons will be issued to those found driving recklessly.
Star Nov 11
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy's statement on a permanent watch over express buses and use of cameras to check on them (More checks at bus stations, The Star, Nov 15) is welcome news.
Do you blame the gung-ho but ignorant young journo or the jaded editor on the desk for allowing this to happen?
i am so not surprised.
ReplyDeletethaqnk God Fauziah is not made CNE. That would be so not good under K-ulah.
You and I and all and sundry know that Lionel as CNE is the best way to bring NST down and downer.
But, you and I and all and sundry are not surprised that K-ulah has made Lionel CNE.
Meritocracy is not the name of the game here.
You think Kamrul as deputy GE is bad?
Lionel as CNE is -- pfffuiiit!
lat me say it in another way : HAHAAHAAAHHAAA HOHOHOHOHO.
and I am laughing at a bad joke!
NST has been reduced to a bad joke.
and P.S to lipreader: you surely are not an NST reporter/staffer. you must be a pretender. OR you never knew Rocky.
When he headed Business Times, he got his head chopped off many times, doing things against the grain, defending his reporters. taking all that crap for his reporters/writers.
he has his detractors, of course,. those would be those he ducked up.
when he was in Malay Mail. He got his balls fried...many times.
lipreader. you must be deaf dumb and blind,
why do you think K-Ulah devised so many ways to get him out!
Let me say that the only one in NST under K-Ular (whoops, I mean K-Ulah) who had balls was Rocky.
Yep... ask K-Ulah that, maaan.
so, you THINK you know rocky, Lipreader. You DON'T!
Biasa la bro, kalau tak control jadi laa macam kat dalam blog ni makin rosak la orang Malaysia, masing-masing ada agenda..
ReplyDeleteMacam mana pun, tahniah kepada yang naik pangkat ...
P/S apa khabar orang NST? rindu jugak rasanya ...
Hindraf has setup it’s own blog at WordPress.
ReplyDeleteThe whole media world is laughing at Lionel's appointment as CNE. Mr Morias must be Newsmaker of the Year.
ReplyDeleteIt only shows there's absolutely no one left to redeem NST's pride.
I hope whoever Tony Francis ropes in to steer the Malay Mail will have more finess and respect than this round of promotions in the NST.
Tony Francis can do it. We must respect his decisions as he knows what he's doing, except maybe when he onmce became JOKE of the year when he was made CNE NST. That i think was the start of unsuitable people being made CNE - and may i add that it was started by Kadir Jasin.
Tony Francis was a superb sports editor and Kadir killed the sports desk by taking him out.
I hear Lazarus Rokk might be headed the Malay Mail way, lured of course by Mr Francis.
Yushaimi can join Lionel's rank as Newsmaker of the Year, because despite his failure to lead the Malay Mail, he has been promoted to Editor of the new Malay Mail.
How the new partner (Blue Inc) accepted this is beyond comprehension. Also, the old team stays on despite being failures. Shocking!!!
Isn't there anything new to talk about?
ReplyDeleteMy oh my! Lionel WAS your man, Rocky. He IS Brenden's man now. Yes, the man you accused of plagiarism (and sueing you for it) still calls the shots. Ask Datuk Syed and Datuk Hisham - who made Lionel deputy Chief News Editor even though so many others are better candidates! Wasn't Datuk Syed forced to accept that decision?
ReplyDeleteBrenden is in PR line now, and Fox needs to make sure some press releases get good play in the papers, see? You don't believe me, watch what comes out in the NST in the coming months. Brenden won't need Kamrul Idrus that much anymore because Lionel will see to his needs now.
Of course, Joan Lau is also in Fox and can call loverboy for favours now and then. Haw haw .. Sounds like a mini-series, right?
Now that Rajen Moses will also be in PR line (O & M, could anyone confirm that?), things may be even more interesting.
Line clear for 0 & M press statements in Business Times?
I don't know. Looks like too many journalists are joining the PR line. And they all seem to be better at PR than at journalism! Why is that?
Frankly, Tony Francis no longer has any fire in his belly to resurrect a dead paper. Tony was arguably the best sports editor of his generation until Kadir Jasin plucked him out to head the news desk. Boy, he was a disaster. But I dont blame Tony. Who would have dared to oppose Kadir during his reign of terror? Your balls must have been made of iron in order to do that. The best candidate to head the Malay Mail is Chandra, the present production editor of NST. He has been overshadowed by chief office boy Png Hong Kwang for far too long. Being a production editor is scant reward for his personal sacrifice. This guy practically gives his life to the NST. He works eight days a week, 48 hours a day, and is quite creative. Khoo Kay Peng, another never-say-die veteran of 70 years, should be the right person to complement him. Kay Peng has extraordinary layout skills, he can sex up stories like a magician. Mind you, he was the first journalist to make tabloid fashionable in the country. Malay Mail cannot afford to make the horrendous mistakes of the past by picking the wrong people. Remember, those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. I hope the new owners, Blue Inc, or whatever, will take note of my suggestions. If Blue Inc chooses to be stupid, then god help them. Remember, one last chance, Malay Mail.
ReplyDeleteTony Francis and his beloved prodigy Tony Mariadas are walking hand in hand...god save MM.
ReplyDeletedear rocky...u r just the man i can pose these questions to about the biased media...
ReplyDelete1. firstly do u agree that mainstream media in msia r not only pro-govt but also controlled by the govt?
2. what is the impact of a boycott of all controlled media?
3. if 2. above doesnt have the resulting effect..ie. bankrupting these channels..and freeing our minds of unhealthy propaganda..what is the next course of action?
look forward to hearing your views...cheers
The newsmakers aren’t in the news
ReplyDeleteThe people living in the media
Struggling to get the momentum going
Directors and employees
Businesses and strategies
Chasing the money
When the fix is wrong
The downward spiral sing
Going faster than a speeding train
Before you know it
It slowly bleeds
Main newspapers
“Surat Khabar lama nak tukar baru”
It is hard really when cosmetic work is done
The core problem hasn’t done away
It is the top fish
When it doesn’t function in good spirit
Nothing will make it turn around
Bowing to the needs of political master
And his cronies pulling the strings
Any actor and director will know
Don’t act outside the script
It is the end of the story
Though the script can be bad at times
Newspapers survive on readership
Then by advertisements
When news aren’t news any more
It is time it is down into the drain
When the independent spirit is gone
There is no way it will survive
As it is chasing the money
On the streets emptiness stomachs the mind
Malaysia reverses Allah paper ban
ReplyDeleteBy Robin Brant
BBC News, Kuala Lumpur
Muslims take part in Friday prayer at the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur
Religious freedom is guaranteed under Malaysian law
The Malaysian government has reversed a decision to ban a Christian newspaper using the word Allah to refer to God.
The government had threatened to refuse to give the Weekly Herald a publishing permit if it continued to use the word.
The paper's editor said the word had long been used by Christians to refer to God in the Malay language.
The ruling was immediately condemned by civil rights and Christian groups in Malaysia, who said it infringed their right to practice their religion.
But Malaysia's internal security department demanded the word be removed, saying only Muslims could use it.
'Over-zealous ministers'
Now the government has back-tracked.
In a fax to the Herald's editor, the government says it will get its 2008 permit, with no conditions attached.
Father Andrew Lawrence told the BBC he was delighted, saying prayers had been answered.
He blamed politics and a general election expected here in 2008 year for what he said were the actions of a few over-zealous ministers in the Muslim-dominated Malay government.
Religious issues are highly sensitive in Malaysia, which has a 60% Muslim population.
Religious freedom is guaranteed in the law but minority groups have accused the Muslim Malay majority of trying to increase the role of Islam in the country.
This is the way of the media in M'sia. Simply trnasfer people under the guise of promotions.
ReplyDeleteAll this moves engineered by K-Ular , KJ & NST top gun sychophants - preparing for General Elections 2008. After elections another round of moves oopss another round of promotions to say "thank you" to the yes man & get rid of the voice of dissent gently...
Malay Mail..jgn harap nak naik lagi..baik bungkus terus....Blu Inc Boss Ibrahim nak dapat Datukship ke???Another govt lapdog in the making.
If history is again any guide, the present bunch of promoted mutts will again be dumped in the next round of charade promotions. This is not surprising in NST's treacherous pits of duplicity, lies and idiocy.
ReplyDelete"TO BE MADE"...wow BRO!if i may in my next speech....."to be made" and so on.........
fr. camp pas.
I think NST should be called The New Tamil Times instead.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was always known as The Natan Straits Times
ReplyDeletep/s: For the non Tamil speaking folks..Natan means Malay