The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) is standing behind its president Hata Wahari, who is facing admonishment over his public statements against his employer, Utusan Malaysia .

Calling Utusan anti-union and having scant regard for justice, the union revealed that the top management of the daily had refused to allow “outside representatives” to assist Hata when he faces a domestic inquiry (DI) in two weeks.

This means that only an in-house representative from the Utusan branch of NUJ can assist Hata in the inquiry scheduled for Jan 17.

NONE “We are of the view that Hata ( right ) has the right to be represented by an official from the NUJ since the Utusan branch is affiliated to the national body.

“Nowhere in the NUJ-UM collective agreement (2005-2008) is it stated that Hata could only be represented by someone from within the company,” general secretary V Anbalagan said in a statement.

Representing the entire executive committee which met in an emergency meeting last night to discuss the issue, Anbalagan also said he had previously tried to represent former Utusan NUJ branch leader Amran Ahmad when he was also hauled up before a DI, to no avail.

“All these show that Utusan is anti-union and has scant regard for justice and fair play,” he said.

In a strongly-worded statement, the union took more potshots at the Umno-owned daily, calling the DI “an act of victimisation of a union leader”.

“It is also aimed at crippling the NUJ leadership and to serve as a warning against Utusan-based journalists,” the statement said.

The union is also calling the DI to be brought forward immediately. The inquiry was initially fixed for tomorrow but was postponed to Jan 17.

“The union is disappointed with the Utusan management for having deferred Hata’s DI. His alleged misconduct has been hanging over his head for the last two months,” it said.

It was previously reported that Hata had received his notice, which was dated Dec 23.

Not the first Utusan union leader in hot water

Hata is facing eight counts of misconduct for issuing statements to news portals Malaysiakini , The Malaysian Insider and Merdeka Review , and The Sun newspaper between Sept 21 and Oct 14 last year.

The notice said he stands accused of insulting the company’s management and tarnishing the company’s image following his comments that appeared in several publications.

Hata is a senior journalist with Utusan Malaysia and was elected NUJ president last September.

Since then, Hata has criticised Utusan several times for publishing pro-Umno propaganda and blamed its editorial policy for the daily’s dwindling circulation.

If sacked, Hata would be the third Utusan employee to face the boot for his union activities. Former NUJ president Yazid Othman as well as the NUJ-Utusan chairperson Amran had previously been dismissed during their tenure in office.

“The NUJ still hopes that Utusan will seriously consider calling off the DI. We take the stand that Hata, in his capacity as NUJ president, issued the statements in defence of press freedom and the welfare of members.

“ Utusan ’s stand is ludicrous as it claimed that Hata, as the employee of the company, had tarnished its image,” the statement added.

Section 6 of the Trade Unions Act says that “no suit shall lie against any public servant for anything done or omitted to be done by him in good faith without negligence and in intended exercise of any power or performance of any duty provided or imposed by this Act.”

Civil society groups tell Utusan to call off inquiry