Utusan Malaysia, Kosmo! expected to return next month

PETALING JAYA: Utusan Malaysia, which ceased publication last year, is expected to make a comeback next month, together with its sister publication tabloid Kosmo!.

According to its website, an animated teaser showed: "Awaiting this July. Brought to you by Media Mulia Sdn Bhd," it said.

Aurora Mulia is linked to tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, who holds 31.22% of Media Prima Bhd, currently Malaysia’s largest media conglomerate.

Media Prima is also the parent company of the New Straits Times Press (NSTP) which publishes three newspapers namely the New Straits Times, Berita Harian, and Harian Metro.

It was reported that Utusan executive chairman Datuk Abd Aziz Sheikh Fadzir had announced that poor cash flow, mounting debts and declining sales led the board of directors to arrive at the decision to shut down operations.

It is understood that the new Utusan headquarters will be based at the NSTP main office at Jalan Riong, Bangsar.

It is also informed that the company has hired around 170 new staff including journalists, photographers, graphic artists, creative designers as well as marketing officers.

There will be no bureaus in Sabah and Sarawak.

Mohamad Azlan Jaafar, who is the editor-in-chief of the Malaysian Reserve has been touted as Utusan's new chief editor while a few other former Utusan editors have been appointed to assist him.

In October last year, a total of 862 Utusan staff members lost their jobs as a prolonged financial crisis saw its workers protest over unpaid wages.

The following month, former entrepreneur development minister Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Yusof announced that Utusan is set to restart its operations in early this year.

Utusan was first published in Jawi in 1939 before it switched to romanised Malay in 1967.