KUALA LUMPUR – Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil (Lembah Pantai-PH) has issued a stern warning to media company owners who have failed to safeguard their employees’ welfare, saying that the government will not offer protection to those who neglect their responsibilities.
The minister asserted that more could be done by relevant parties to secure a better future for the media industry, underscoring that the efforts to uphold press freedom must be matched by a commitment to improving the wellbeing of media practitioners.
Fahmi’s comments came in response to Bersatu MP Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan (Tasek Gelugor-PN), who raised concerns about the welfare of employees at The Vibes and The Malaysian Insight (TMI), both of which have reportedly experienced several months of unpaid salaries.
“In this august house today, I would like to give a stern reprimand to all (media) company owners – there is no concept of seeking protection here.
“It’s not just the two companies mentioned (by Wan Saiful). Some other broadcasting companies are also tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands or millions of ringgit in debt,” Fahmi said during his winding-up speech on the Supply Bill 2025 at the policy stage.
Wan Saiful had also questioned whether the apparent lack of action against the owners of The Vibes and TMI could be due to their alleged political connections.
He pointed out that previous reports indicated that the companies had been lax in their Employees Provident Fund and Social Security Organisation payments for workers.
“Other company owners would have been hit with a travel restriction and other actions if they were accused of (such allegations), but these companies’ owners appear to be free to go here and there, to the point where it is said that their political ties have saved them.
“Why is there a difference in the fate between other company owners who fail to make the necessary contributions and the owners of these two companies?” he queried.
He also highlighted that while retrenchments seem to be a pressing issue within the media industry currently, certain companies had managed to let go of their workers “responsibly” through a voluntary separation scheme (VSS) agreement.
Last month, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm) issued a statement in solidarity with a group of journalists demanding “several months” of unpaid wages and “other contributions” from their employer, “representing TMI and The Vibes.”
The following day, Fahmi expressed his readiness to act as an intermediary to resolve disputes between media practitioners and their employers over salary arrears.
He stressed that the delay in payment, which he said has been an ongoing issue over the last six months, was “unacceptable and unjustified.” – November 7, 2024