Solution to Bernama TV crisis being studied - Ahmad Shabery

The Ministry of Communications and Multimedia (KKMM) is currently studying the problems faced by the 24-hour news station, Bernama TV, which resulted in the station not being able to pay the salary of its workers.

Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said a detailed study to resolve the problem at Bernama TV or an alternative decision must be found because it was a business entity run by a private company.

"Of course I understand the difficulties faced by the workers of the TV station and I am concerned about the matter.

"But it must be appreciated that Bernama TV is not a TV station owned by the government, it is owned by a private company and any decision made must be based on business consideration," he said after officiating the School Funds Disbursement Ceremony for the Cukai state constituency, here.

Asked whether his ministry would give an initial financial aid to the affected workers, Ahmad Shabery said he would always find the best way to ease the burden of the workers concerned.

He said that all this while, the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) had provided much capital injection to fund the operations and pay for the salary of Bernama TV employees.

"The allocation which should be utilised to pay for the operations of Bernama as a news agency was, however, partly taken to support the weaknesses of the private company," he said.

As such, Ahmad Shabery said an immediate decision must be made to resolve the problem because the question was why should the government support the weaknesses of a private compeny which did not meet its responsibility in handling the TV station concerned.

Bernama has minority interest of 33 per cent shares in Bernama TV and was paying the salary of its workers until it could no longer afford to do so in November.

The last time Bernama TV staff received their salary was on Oct 20.

Subsequently, 30 representatives of the staff of the TV station was reported to have lodged a complaint to the Manpower Department (JTK) on Wednesday regarding their problem.

Meanwhile, at the School Funds Disbursement Ceremony for the Cukai state constituency, 2,536 recipients received cash amounting to RM421,300 from the Terengganu state government.

One of the recipients, Abdul Mutalib Abdul Ghani, 46, who works in a private company, said the RM200 contribution could to a certain extent meet the schooling expenses of his two children.