The Rakyat Post resurfaced after shutdown, ex-staff in the dark

After it was announced that The Rakyat Post would be shutting down their operations beginning March, the online news portal today resurfaced, much to the surprise of its ex-staff.

The news portal's former editorial team claimed to be in the dark over this new development, as there had been no communication between them and the management since the shutdown announcement last Feb 29.

In the announcement, the news portal's management had cited funding issues as the main reason for the shutdown.

Statement by the former editorial team of The Rakyat Post dated March 10, 2016:

"It has come to the knowledge of the former editorial team of The Rakyat Post (made up of staff members who have resigned as well as those who are still employed, but are on forced annual leave) that the news portal's website and Facebook page have become active again today, March 10, 2016.

"We would like to point out that following the statement issued by the news portal's management on Feb 29, 2016 on the shut down of The Rakyat Post, the former editorial team was not consulted on the rebooting of its operations today.

"The former editorial team would also like to stress that we are not part of the new The Rakyat Post, as we have yet to be paid the salaries owed to us, for January and February.

"Those who did not resign were considered to have been constructively dismissed when the management announced on Feb 29, 2016 that it had to shut down in order to undergo a restructuring exercise and to resolve its funding issues.

"Some 70 staff of The Rakyat Post have been affected by the shut down in which they were denied their wages for two months.

"No communication from the management has been received by these former staff members following the announcement of the shut down.

"We would therefore like to reiterate that we are not part of the 'new' The Rakyat Post and stress that we shall continue to demand for our salaries.

"On another matter, we learned of a Facebook posting on The Rakyat Post's page asking for proposals from the public on ways to increase funding. We stress that we did not consent to this and we played no part in this message.

"On the shut down, this has affected staff of the online newsportal, including several others from the marketing, graphics and other departments of the companies under the Legion Media Group which presides over the management of The Rakyat Post.

"Complaints have been filed by those affected with the Labour Department as well as the Industrial Relations Department.

"Apart from that, complaints have also been lodged with the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) for the company's failure in remitting said payment.

"The Rakyat Post was operating under the banner of the Legion Media Group, managed by Netnion Technology Sdn Bhd initially, and later transferred to another company under the same banner Wespacom Sdn Bhd.

"This statement is issued by the former editorial team of The Rakyat Post, before it ceased operations on Feb 29, 2016."