Fahmi urges Petra News to settle salary and statutory arrears promptly

SERI KEMBANGAN, Feb 16 — Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil today urged Petra News Sdn Bhd to hold discussions with its employees to immediately resolve the issue of arrears involving statutory contributions and delayed payment of salaries.

He said the publishers of news portals, The Malaysian Insight, The Vibes and Getaran, should resolve the issue immediately as the matter had been going on for a long time.

According to Fahmi, his ministry will also monitor the matter and wait for the results of the meeting at the internal level which is expected to be held in the near future.

“For the past few months, I have been in contact with the company because since last year I have been getting information and trying to help journalists who are affected by the company’s non-payment of salaries and so on.

“I am not sure why the meeting was not held before but I have stressed to the owner of the company to take care of (the issue) immediately,” he told reporters after visiting the family of former Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd journalist Muhammad Basir Abu Bakar who passed away yesterday.

Also present was Bernama chief executive officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin.

Yesterday, 15 Petra News Sdn Bhd employees demanded immediate payment of Employees Provident Fund (EPF), Monthly Tax Deduction (PCB) and Social Security Organisation (Socso) contributions for the past year.

In a joint statement, they said a check with the EPF, Inland Revenue Board (IRB) and Socso found that Petra News had failed to submit payments on behalf of employees and employers to the relevant authorities, despite salary deductions being made for statutory contributions.

Following the matter, the affected employees have lodged a report at the Travers Police Station, Brickfields on Friday (Feb 14).

Meanwhile, Fahmi said apart from the issue, his ministryt had also assisted several other cases involving several journalists who were affected by the decision of their respective employers.

“… There are also some other media outlets that have laid off their employees and I have also helped. This is not only the case of (Petra News) but some other cases too, whether I am trying to get a job for them in any company or ministry if appropriate.

“I try to help as many journalists as possible who may be affected by the decisions made by their employers,” he said. — Bernama