Malaysia's Malay language dailies Utusan Malaysia, Kosmo! expected to return next month
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Poor cash flow, mounting debts and declining sales had led the board of directors to arrive at the decision to shut down operations.
PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM UTUSAN.COM.MY
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PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysia's Malay language daily Utusan Malaysia, which ceased publication last year, is expected to make a comeback next month, together with its sister publication tabloid Kosmo!.
According to its website, an animated teaser showed: "Awaiting this July. Brought to you by Media Mulia Sdn Bhd," it said.
Aurora Mulia is linked to tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, who holds 31.22 per cent of Media Prima Bhd, currently Malaysia's largest media conglomerate.
Media Prima is also the parent company of the New Straits Times Press (NSTP) which publishes three newspapers namely the New Straits Times, Berita Harian, and Harian Metro.
Utusan which was owned by Umno, was shut down in October after its publisher Utusan Melayu ceased operations, leaving 700 people jobless.
It was reported that Utusan executive chairman Abd Aziz Sheikh Fadzir had announced that poor cash flow, mounting debts and declining sales led the board of directors to arrive at the decision to shut down operations.
The printing licence of Utusan and Kosmo! is now held by Tan Sri Mokhtar.
It is understood that the new Utusan headquarters will be based at the NSTP main office in the upmarket enclave of Bangsar in Kuala Lumpur.
It is also informed that the company has hired around 170 new staff including journalists, photographers, graphic artists, creative designers as well as marketing officers.
There will be no bureaus in Sabah and Sarawak.
Mr Mohamad Azlan Jaafar, who is the editor-in-chief of the Malaysian Reserve has been touted as Utusan's new chief editor while a few other former Utusan editors have been appointed to assist him.
In October last year, a total of 862 Utusan staff members lost their jobs as a prolonged financial crisis saw its workers protest over unpaid wages.
The following month, former entrepreneur development minister Mohd Redzuan Yusof announced that Utusan is set to restart its operations in early this year.
Utusan was first published in Jawi in 1939 before it switched to romanised Malay in 1967.
