The story of the Malay Mail: Life after NSTP. After the disastrous experiment with the Malay Mail in the 2006, which ended with the suspension of the Weekend Mail, the NSTP decided that it was time to let someone else run the paper. Entered Ibrahim Mohamed Nor, the boss of publishing company Blue Inc., a former NSTP employee (and later director) who believes that the tabloid can still rock.
On 5 May 2008, Ibrahim will re-launch the paper. I won't call it a "new" Malay Mail. I'll call it the "Independent" Malay Mail. Because this time the editors at the Mail won't have to take orders from the NST or from the board of directors of the NSTP.
One pro-Kali/Brendan website says Malay Mail under Ibrahim will be a "political sheet" (the pun, I'm sure, is intended). I heard Ibrahim aspires to turn the Mail back into the paper that cares and, now that it's free from the NST stigma, into a politically more independent paper. I wish him luck.
Tony Francis, the de facto chief editor, is roping in some big names as columnists for the paper. Names like Fauzi Omar, Nuraina A. Samad, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, Rashid Yusof ....
Friday, April 25, 2008
Escape from Jalan Riong
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Bro,
ReplyDeleteKali/Brendan tag team (on their website) running down the independent Malay Mail.
That's rich!
Kali single-handedly destroyed the Malay Mail. And is doing the same to the NST.
He has no credibility to say what can make a paper. How to BREAK and KILL a paper, YES!
And Brendan and the rest of them....PUHLEEEZE!
Aah...now joining US in blogosphere with an online news site.
Kali can't say fuckall about producing a paper.
YES!
ReplyDeleteI wish the new Malay Mail team all the best!
Now that you are not with the NST, you should make the best of this.
SYABAS!
read rizalhashim.blogspot.com to read what the staff really think of Tony Francis.
ReplyDeleteno one there likes him. hate would not be too strong a word. frankie and bill have won the staff's respect for their professionalism, ideas and work ethics.
the senior staff think tony is a puppet of nst's excutive editor chandra segar pillai.
Having been a reader of the paper since the age of nine and later privileged enough to be part of the editorial set-up at the Malay Mail, I look forward to the independent MM.
ReplyDeleteBecause of the Old Malay Mail, I was lucky enough to cover the SEA Games, the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games.
Best wishes to my ex-colleagues there.
Brother, was it a prerequisite that NST will only sell MM, if you are not to even contribute a punctuation mark?! Just a gut feel.
ReplyDeleteThe only way for The Malay Mail to survive is to let it take up its
ReplyDeleteoriginal role - the only afternoon or evening english tabloid.
People are even willing to pay RM0.20 for empat ekor results, what more a newspaper with all the latest of the day? on days for the
budget, election as well as those world football matches, it can really play its role as that alternative paper that people would not want to miss.
people may say the internet is where most people can get their news, but how many of us really read the entire news on the internet? the eyes would go blind.
nothing is better than having that newspaper just out of the press and reading it in our favourite warong, and talking about the news with friends.
Tony Francis demands 100 per cent loyalty from his friends and staff. You mess around with him, you are dead. This guy has a long memory. Just ask Rizal Hisham. You may be brilliant but if you play games with him it's all over.
ReplyDeletewhats the use of bringing in more 'dinosours' in the name of columnists? anthony vengadesan should bring in 64 columinsts and consultants so that all 64 pages will be filled!
ReplyDeleteAnon 5.45pm..don't think Bill and Frankie have earned any respect from anyone...no one respects them at all! Thank god i've left the joint!!
i hope it will be worth reading, just like the "old" MM. I've stop buying it after the take over as it was plain rubbish.
ReplyDeletehope it will be interesting. all the best!
~anon 11.55
I give all my best wishes to the new Malay Mail.......
ReplyDeleteand screw you Kali!
On April 9, 2008, this scribe wrote in http://margeemar.blogspot.com with the heading DR WAN AZIZAH FOR PM. It came as no surprise to this scribe when it was reported in Malaysiakini on April 24, 2008 that YB Datin Seri Dr. Wan Azizah is ready to assume the post of Prime Minister of Malaysia. I believe, with the support and guidance of not only Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Kak Wan will make a great Prime Minister.
ReplyDeleteKak Wan will be an idle choice for PM. In this case DSAI will not have to rush in becoming PM even though this is what most of us are craving for. BN especially UMNO is now sinking into the abyss. We are seeing how down right dirty they can get in trying to paint the Pakatan Rakyat state governments in a bad light. Just take the Selangor pig farming issue as an example. Even though this project got the blessing of Khir Toyo and linked to a company owned by Umno members, the spin in the MSM especially by TV3 still continues by linking race and religion to the pig farming issue. You see, Umno and BN are going down therefore they will not stop hitting below the belt. They are bankrupt in ideas.
That is why I feel it is better for Kak Wan to be PM first before DSAI takes over in the near future. Should DSAI become PM any time soon, the Umno/BN goons and the 4th Floor Boys will have a field day concocting all sorts of crap to discredit and destroy a PR government with DSAI as PM. With Kak Wan, there ain't nothing these Umno/BN jabronees can conjure up that can discredit her.
To all the righteous Rakyat out there who believe that it is undemocratic and immoral for PR to form the Federal Government via crossovers from BN MP's, just remember that the just concluded GE may have been free but it sure wasn't fair. Haven't everyone forgotten about the 400,000 postal votes? Phantom voters? Illegal immigrants in Sabah and Sarawak getting MyKads to vote for BN? Use of government machinery for campaigning by BN leaders? BN Propaganda and smear campaigns against the opposition? A biased Elections Commission with electoral boundaries that favor Umno/BN?
Finally, after taking control of Kedah, Perak, Penang and Selangor, the PR government is beginning to unearth a lot of dirt. FELLOW MALAYSIANS, DO YOU WANT TO GIVE UMNO/BN ANOTHER 5 YEARS SO THAT THEY CAN COVER UP 50 YEARS OF CRONYISM, NEPOTISM AND CORRUPTION AND AT THE SAME ALLOW THEM TO WIPE CLEAN WHATEVER MONEY THAT'S LEFT IN THE COFFERS?
Please wake up Rakyat! Are we gonna stand by and watch these Umno/BN leeches bleed this nation dry by allowing them to rule for another 5 years!? If you love Malaysia, support the regime change that's coming our way. WAN AZIZAH FOR PM! PAKATAN RAKYAT FOR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT! HIDUP KETUANAN RAKYAT!
what is wrong with kali and brendan ...they failed at NSTP...now they use goons to run down the new Malay Mail
ReplyDeleteI am not sure how independent this new Malay Mail? Aren't all newspaper under some kind of control by some ministry right?
ReplyDeleteHow can they be more neutral? Emmm...
Zorro,
ReplyDeleteThey are worried in case Rocky pulls out all the stops. Imagine all the questions and exclamations heaped on him?
Still, I think Rocky deserves better. The local rags are not mature enough to tackle him. Any decent paper out there, please note this.
cut NO MORE trees for making paper !! go for 'paperless news '!
ReplyDeletesearch the net for news .
I stopped reading NST papaers long time now. Only read The Star. Now I'll add MM to my reaading list :)
ReplyDeleterocky ... ACA has clarified about Azalina 1.4K entertainment. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteI thought we are boycotting MSM!
ReplyDeleteShe dont give a ......
Dont buy lol
Goodluck iMalayMail
ReplyDelete(i denotes independent)
Cheers to you Kali and let's
ReplyDelete'tanni adi' - literally it means let's get drunk in tamil - which you're proud of when it comes to your roots! Dey Kali! you, hisham aun, brendan paria n syed faisal are responsible for the demise and sufferings of the Malays in NSTP/MM n Umno should be proud of that. Of course, it was with the help of your Sing operatives. There's a mention about Blu Inc somewhere in the MM. Isn't Blu Inc has that Sing connection. Cheers to UMNO. DKL where are you!
Salam Brother,
ReplyDeleteAs a Muslim seeking for JUSTICE you should also blog about the Malaysiakini apologizing to KJ about the 'mistake' they did in reporting that KJ votes were recounted that Election night. (I am sure you know the rest of the story (facts and figures)
And KJ Accepted their Apologies. IF I were KJ I will sure Malaysiakini to their last cent they have. IF they ever have any sense (cent) at all.
Enough of all this FITNAH going on which is destroying the country and the main losers are the Malays!!
Bro, hope this will not be another 'sandiwara' by Kali and gang. Independent is subjective to these fellows and could mean another propoganda vehicle in disguise. Anyway, hope it is given the 'freedom' to publish the truth.
ReplyDeleteThe 'new' Malay Mail will succeed inspite of and not because of Tony 'don't argue with me Francis'
ReplyDeleteFYI ... Tony told a female staff she should not worry about salary or bonus under the new management because her husband is a doctor and he can give her everything she needs.
She blew her top and is managed to get a transfer to NST.
What a Chauvinistic P*G
Malay Mail insider
http://mahathirtruenationalist.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2008-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2009-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=12
ReplyDeleteFriday, April 25, 2008
Mukhriz Mahathir To Lead Malaysia
Malaysia is in crisis. Mukhriz Mahathir is the chosen leader to restore Malaysia's Vision 2020. Mukhriz is known as an approachable leader, level headed politician with goals to reform UMNO and the Malaysian system.. However, Mukhriz's efforts of reform are based on in depth study, progressive improvements and effective follow through. Unlike our weak PM who concocts so- called reforms over night that serves to put Malaysia at a stand still. Turning Malaysia into a either a Corridor or a Commission. It's no surprise that the Rakyat have no confidence in Pak Lah.
Here's a chance to meet with our PM in waiting :-
Facebook:- http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=21930453608&topic=4676
All supporters of Dato Mukhriz, let's listen & give ideas to our leader. All of you are most welcome to see him during his talk organized by Sekretariat Melayu Muda. All the details, please browse our group announcement Sekretariat Melayu Muda in Facebook.
TOPIC:"Malaysia Baru: Senario Politik Masakini"
DATE:30th April 2008 (Wednesday)
TIME:7:30pm
VENUE:Wisma Sejarah, Aras 2, Anjung Wisma Sejarah
230, Jalan Tun Razak, 50400, Kuala Lumpur
Posted by Mahathirism at Friday, April 25, 2008
Will still end up as garbage.
ReplyDeleteBro,
ReplyDeleteHow can the papers goes wrong with people like Tony Francis, Fauzi Omar, Nuraina A. Samad, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar and Rashid Yusof.
These are respected jouranlists whose hearts are with journalism rather than playing political games and sucking up to the 4th boys.
As long as Kalimullah, Brendan and gang are not involved in the papers all would be well for the papers.
Tony, Fauzi and Nuraina: the newspapers industry need you all. Stay on and do not let the 4th floor boys (like Vincent Lim and Kamal) to mess you around like small children). Show themn that you are real journalists.
I wish the new MM team "Good Luck, Make it happen!
ReplyDeletesorry, just to mention RPK will be air on RTM1 tomorrow(sunday) at 9.30 PM
ReplyDeleteDear Rocky,
ReplyDeleteYou seem to cherish all the escapades after the March 8 General Elections.
What if all the guys in the Mahathir era are back on a vengence, will we see a Mahathir sideshows?
rgds
Simon
Whatever you call it, MM will die. I give MM one year. People don't read newspaper nowday. They can survive withour information from the media. There are other means to get info..such as TV and Internet. Why spend money? Get Sun or The Star, more than enough. What kind of informations MM can give to the people. Almost the same with other media. Buat if nak mengarut macam Harian Metro, boleh lah jual pada orang-orang yang bodoh di luar sana.
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest reasons why MM did well in the 80s was that it had the only large classified ads section among local newspapers. This was virtually a monopoly which contributed a lot to the bottom-line.
ReplyDeleteWhen the Star took over this monopoly, MM was destined to go south.
Sad to say, there's nothing anyone can offer to make the MM regain its former glory..
Wasnt it the same Frankie who led the Leader to the graveyard? If he is, bye bye Malay Mail.
ReplyDeleteMM is still bent on selling newspapers the old tradition way, which I believe will fail. The are loads of infomation on the survival of newspapers in the net, yet the people concern fail to take notice of the current concerns of newspaper's selling strategies. Why did NSTP not sell MM to Astro, which I believed offered way more than what Ibrahim offered? Do you all think Media Prima with 50% staake will allow the MM the tell us the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Plse remember the tricks of UMMO and BN, they will bait us with the cheesey bits in the beginning and do the manipulation when the time is right. Remember buying MM still adds monies to UMMO and BH to muck us up later!!! Enough is enough, lets just wait for the launch of the PKR's newspaper, and hopefull the Pakatan Times......
ReplyDeleteNEWS FLASH
ReplyDeleteA drunken little bird (and they are many) has revealed the following items
1. Tony F and gang are going all out to find out who are the "traitors" leaking info to blogs. TF will speak to head of departments and feed each of them different misleading news about the new malay mail.
2. They hope to catch out the traitors by the stories which appear under comments.
3. Planning to block access to this blog ... nst did same to rocky's bru
4. Divide and conquer ... pit colleagues against colleagues ... just the staff not brought in by TF. Expect a flood of comments criticising the current staff still in Malay Mail.
5. TF's real boss not Dato Ibrahim, but Chandra is said to be ready to make his move ...expect surprises ... then again, this could be a ploy and I could be ratted out ...
6. Malay Mail staff, please be careful what you write on blogs. You could be giving yourself away.
NEWS FLASH
ReplyDeleteA drunken little bird (and they are many) has revealed the following items
1. Tony F and gang are going all out to find out who are the "traitors" leaking info to this blog (www.rizalhashim.blogspot.com). TF will speak to head of departments and feed each of them different misleading news about the new malay mail.
2. They hope to catch out the traitors by the stories which appear under comments.
3. Planning to block access to (www.rizalhashim.blogspot.com). ... nst did same to rocky's bru
4. Divide and conquer ... pit colleagues against colleagues ... just the staff not brought in by TF. Expect a flood of comments criticising the current staff still in Malay Mail.
5. TF's real boss not Dato Ibrahim, but Chandra is said to be ready to make his move ...expect surprises ... then again, this could be a ploy and I could be ratted out ...
6. Malay Mail staff, please be careful what you write on blogs. You could be giving yourself away.
Kau apa kurang anak atan...cermin dulu diri sendiri baru boleh mengata sapa2 yg kau nak...
ReplyDeleteLatest: Tony F is spitting blood over the adverse remarks he has received in the blogs. Already he is sending a veiled warning to his staff that he wanted nothing less than absolute loyalty. He has identified a few 'traitors' (euphemism for someone still loves good old Rocky). Watch out for the latest from the Malay Mail insider. You can feel the tension in the Malay Mail days ahead of its launch. The closet traitors are going to be outed soon. The shadow of Rocky still looms large. Rocky is seen as the ENEMY.
ReplyDeletehas rizalhashim.blogspot.com been asked to stop allowing comments about the new malay mail?
ReplyDeletewhere is the press freedom?
an independent malay mail? far from it bro.
Traitor to Tony F, but loyal to Malay Mail
ps: it is not about rocky, although we do miss him, it is about a has been dinosaur who thinks he is god's gift to journalism and also about the puppet master who used to be rocky's no2
Some of you should get your facts right before mouthing off about Tony Francis and The Malay Mail.
ReplyDeleteAs for the idiot who said he told a female reporter she needn't worry about her salary because her husband is a doctor, I know what a blatant lie that is because I am that reporter and no such thing ever happened.
Tony was always polite and courteous in all of my meetings with him.
Those who are making up stories should learn to shut up and remember their poor track record with the Malay Mail.
NstMan:
ReplyDeleteRocky seen as the enemy? I don't think so. We all know that Tony F and Rocky get along quite well together. In fact, Tony F has invited Rocky to the launch of the Malay Mail, big birds tell me!
I think we should all give Tony Francis and Co a chance to save the malay mail, that kali single-handedly bludgeoned into a state of coma. Tony has a good team, and if we look beyond the childishness and personal vendettas, we will know that people like Bill, Frankie, Fauzi, and the young ones led by Yushaimi can rebuild this afternoon paper again.
ReplyDeleteAnd Rocky as much as you would like to believe that kali and gang had set your exclusion as a prerequisite to Blue Inc, its not true.
They only insisted that the new owners keep the staff, and Yush as editor. Nothing else.
Let's give them a chance, already we can see some good changes in the paper.
I have said it before and I want to repeat it. Tony Francis is a vindictive man who will go all out to finish off his opponents. To Malay Mail recalcitrants - if you want to go for a no-holds barred contest, be prepared to let the battle run its course because there won't be any survivors. Tony takes no prisoners. Be prepared for the worst. In the meantime, Rocky is still the perceived enemy of the Malay Mail. Rocky is the only man who has the stature to turn Malay Mail around, not Tony. Rocky has the influence. Rocky is the man for the job. Everybody knows Rocky is the man, but no one has the balls to say so. Go Rocky go. It;s time to stop all the pretence. Rocky is the MAN.
ReplyDeleteDear Meera,
ReplyDeleteThank you for setting the record straight. However, just because TF was courteous to you, doesn't mean he is not as bad as some ppl have made him out to be.
Perhaps he was just afraid. We know what a tigeress you are ... as all those who have interviewed by you will agree.
Good luck in the nst. You deserve it.
Today's front page (Big Spender) of the Malay Mail says it all. They can make a comeback!
ReplyDeletewill u be at the launch bro?
ReplyDeletemm staff still tak di informed officially about it
After reading about Raja Petra, this not important but ...
ReplyDeleteTony Francis is doing his best to cut cost so don't blame him staff now can't claim overtime.
I heard some lose as much as RM1k coz they used to claim 10-14 shifts per month.
As a former staff of NSTP, I know what a scam the overtime was.
Some ex staff even claimed OT for Feb30 and bosses signed.
But to deny staff who have worked hard and have genuine claims, is not good man.
I heard the sub editors suffered the most. Before they could claim eight shifts because they worked six days a week now no more.
Many of the them will be leaving soon as their fixed income for an honest day's work is gone.
If they are earning as much as Tony's buddies, then it won't be a problem.
But most are earning under 2k and many are graduates or have been there since rocky's time.
How to survivelah?
Dear Rocky,
ReplyDeleteI'm fascinated but quite taken aback by the type of bitching/slandering that is going on in your post comments here.
I must say your blog is highly informative an readable, but when it comes to posts related to NSTP, that can become really ugly..
because you are such a high profile blogger, i suggest you limit your comments to those with Google/Blogger or Open ID. And not for any Tom/Dick/Harry who just hide behind a pseudonym or simply remain anonymous to comment like no one's business. I applaud my ex-colleagues like Rizal and the sleeping Radzi and Meera, who dare to say who they are.
Keep up the good work, my (ex) boss but pls try not to allow shit stirrers, haters and liars to spoil your good blog.
sorry i would like to add that I believe totally on press freedom and freedom of speech.. but if freedom of speech breaches some basic human ethics and principles, then I think it's not freedom but abuse of freedom. i'm sure u know what i mean Rocky. cheers.
ReplyDelete