The Malaysian Insight

SELANGOR today ordered the cease and desist subscription and advertising in Utusan and Berita Harian news portals to all state government departments, agencies and companies.

In a letter signed by State Secretary Mohd Amin Ahmad Ahya, it is stated a letter on June 12, 2008 had the same orders.

However, a few departments, agencies and government companies are still subscribing and paying the Malay portals for advertisements.

“This issue has alerted the Selangor government to ask all investment of the papers (Utusan and Berita Harian) be stopped.

“Also, the state encourages all departments, agencies and companies under the state government to use and focus on the Selangor Kini, Sinar Harian and The Star,” said the circulation letter.

The letter was verified by several Selangor state officers including the chief minister’s office. However, they refused to comment on the subject.

The Utusan Group publishes the Utusan Malaysia paper and also manages the Kosmo website among other media agencies.

Berita Harian is under the News Straits Times Press group by Media Prima that also publishes the Harian Metro, News Straits Times papers and television stations like TV3, NTV7 and 8TV.

All of them have editorials focused on the Federal Government under Barisan Nasional.

In September, Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali threatened legal action against Utusan Malaysia for reporting he allegedly approved a beer festival that has since been called off in Kuala Lumpur following security concerns by the police.

In the Malay daily’s front page, headlined ‘Azmin tidak kisah pesta arak di Selangor’ (Azmin does not mind beer festival in Selangor), Utusan said the Selangor PKR government had approved the beer festival in the state despite police advice against it.

Azmin, on the same day ordered his lawyers to send a letter of demand to Utusan, demanding the Malay daily to apologise and retract the article and pay compensation. – November 10, 2017.