Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Zahidi Zainul Abidin defended the government’s practice of hiring contract staff, including within the national news agency Bernama and Bernama TV under its purview.

At the same time, Zahidi said Bernama might consider “checking the health” of outgoing Bernama TV staff member Sydney Yap Xi Ni who had previously highlighted complaints of pay cuts and other internal problems at the news agency’s TV arm.

Quizzed today on whether...