988 radio host Jamaluddin told to go on leave was a management decision

Radio 988: Dr Chua says its was a management decision

Published: Friday August 20, 2010 MYT 7:29:00 PM

PETALING JAYA: The MCA has never interfered in the operations of the Star Publications (M) Bhd and its subsidiary Star RFM Sdn Bhd, which owns the 988 Chinese radio station, party president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said.

Referring to the case of 988 radio host Jamaluddin Ibrahim being taken off the air and told to go on leave, he said the MCA was not responsible for the decision to do so.

“I am given to understand that the 988 radio station received a warning letter from the Malaysian Commununications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

“I am informed that Jamaluddin was asked to go on leave by the 988 chief executive officer Wong Lai Ngo.

“I reiterate that the MCA will not interfere in the case and that the matter will be fully handled by the management,” he said in a statement Friday.

Dr Chua also said that the party was fully aware of the status of Star Publications as a public-listed company and its responsibilities to the shareholders.

He said Star Publications, as a listed company, had an independent management and the professional team should be left to make their decisions.

“I also believe that the media group should not be used or abused for any individual agenda,” he said.

Dr Chua said he met Jamaluddin on May 3 at the MCA headquarters as the radio host had requested to see him.

“Such meetings with journalists, whether print or electronic, is part of my duty as the party president.

“It is not true that I have met him five times as he claimed,” he said.

It was reported that Star RFM Sdn Bhd is conducting an investigation into events that led to Jamaluddin being taken off the air.

In another development, Star RFM chairperson Datin Linda Ngiam stressed that Jamaluddin was taken off the air by Wong after receiving the letter from MCMC.

She stressed that this was a management matter.

Ngiam told a press conference at Star RFM’s office yesterday that Wong and senior programme manager Tan Chia Yong were suspended to facilitate internal investigations.

Asked about the MCMC letter, she said:

“MCMC had issued a letter to the station saying that they found the ‘Hi Malaysia’ morning programme had carried a biased and unbalanced reporting and found the content to be offensive.”

She said the company was still looking into the alleged breach of MCMC guidelines by the deejays and hoped to work with MCMC to resolve the matter.