Newly-elected National Union of Journalists (NUJ) president Hatta Wahari has blamed Utusan Malaysia's editors for the daily's frequent run-ins with politicians.

According to Hatta, who is a senior journalist at Utusan , the conflicts were between the daily's chief editor Aziz Ishak, backed by senior editors, against the politicians from both BN and Pakatan Rakyat.

NONE "NUJ sees that it is unfair to fault Utusan Malaysia which includes journalists, photographers, graphic artists and other staff who don't share the agenda (of the editors).

"They also do not have the authority to criticise the chief editor and the senior editors," said Hatta.

"NUJ is also of the opinion that the chief editor and senior editors of Utusan were not advocating media freedom but instead merely fulfilling the needs of their ‘political masters'," he added.

Editors fully responsible

In view of this, Hatta urged politicians not to direct their complaints against Utusan , but instead train their sights on the chief editor.

"The chief editor determines the agenda, news and opinions which are published by Utusan and should be held fully responsibility for any negative elements, complaints and discontent hurled at (the daily)," he said.

Hatta also issued a "reminder" that the actions of the chief editor and senior editors will have a direct implication on the estimated 1,000 Utusan staff and their family members, in subtle reference to the daily's gradually declining circulation figures.

parliament gobind singh ban over nazri mistake 251108 04 Opposition leaders have long decried Utusan 's style of reporting due to its racial slants and heavily skewed reporting towards its owners, Umno.

Recently, Utusan had courted condemnation from Umno's top brass as well, including supreme council member Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz and Youth wing chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

Nazri ( left ) penned an open letter condemning the daily's latest Awang Selamat column. Khairy meanwhile criticised the daily for supporting Malay rights pressure group Perkasa.