LETTER | The National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJ) and Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm) firmly stand in solidarity with a group of journalists facing the challenge of demanding several months of unpaid wages from their employer, representing The Malaysian Insight and The Vibes.

“A ‘free press’ is not free,” meaning there is a cost to be paid, including fair wages, to build a free media landscape.

It must be emphasised that the failure to pay wages and other contributions that are the employer’s responsibility is a violation of the Employment Act 1955.

This clearly represents a form of oppression and reflects the weaknesses in management on the employer’s part.

It is highly unjust for journalists, as media workers, to be treated like beggars when every cent they demand is the result of hard work that contributes to the company’s operations.

Undeniably, the involved media workers are facing financial and emotional pressure as they deal with the responsibility of continuing to provide for themselves and their families.

NUJM and Geramm urge the employer to promptly settle all outstanding payments as promised so that the affected media workers can determine their future direction.

The sustainability of Malaysia’s media landscape is also influenced by ensuring justice for media workers, and any form of neglect cannot be allowed.

NUJM and Geramm also call on all parties to provide support for the efforts to uphold the rights of media workers.

To all media workers, be practitioners of the media to deliver the news, but do not forget our story.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.