KUALA LUMPUR — Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil will meet tomorrow the management of media companies still owing a backlog of salary payments to staff.
He said he would give them “a last chance” to rectify the issue, adding that his ministry had been following up with affected staff through personal engagements and through the Hawana Fund for media practitioners in need.
“I am giving a last chance (to these companies) here. I will wait until tomorrow to hear what the chief editor has to say and I will follow up,” said the minister when winding up policy-stage debates on the budget allocation for his ministry under the Supply Bill 2025.
Fahmi was responding to R. Yuneswaran (Segamat-PH) who asked if affected journalists could have direct access to the ministry to bring their complaints.
“I have been communicating with the chief editors and can inform that there will be a meeting held with the management of (media companies) to ensure that the issue raised would be addressed immediately,” Fahmi said.
“I will continue to monitor this issue, and of course, the Human Resources Minister (Steven Sim) would look into this matter as well to ensure that the welfare and the rights of employees – including the journalists – would be protected.”
Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan (Tasek Gelugor-PN) had earlier asked Fahmi to use the Hawana Fund to assist media practitioners who have lost their jobs or have not had their salaries paid for months.
The fund was set up in conjunction with the National Journalists Day (Hawana) 2023 celebrations with the aim of reaching out to former and current journalists and media practitioners in need of assistance.
Wan Saiful had also questioned whether the apparent lack of action against the owners of media organisations concerned could be due to their alleged political connections.
He also pointed out that previous reports indicated that the companies had been lax in their Employees Provident Fund and Social Security Organisation payments for workers.
On Nov 7, Fahmi issued a stern warning to media company owners who have yet to pay their staff, saying the government will not protect to those who neglect their responsibilities.
Last month, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm) issued a statement in solidarity with journalists at The Malaysian Insight and The Vibes who are demanding “several months” of unpaid wages and “other contributions” from their employer. – November 27, 2024