Rais Yatim claims Wan Hamidi as Bernama CEO will ‘politicise’ the news agency

(The Star) – Tan Sri Rais Yatim is not in favour of Wan Hamidi Hamid, former editor of DAP publication The Rocket, being appointed as Bernama CEO.

The former minister of information, communication and culture was reported by Malaysiakini as saying that appointing Wan Hamidi was “not a good choice” as it would “politicise” the national news agency.

“This should be reconsidered by my friend who is the present communications and multimedia minister.

“We should avoid this trend or else the agency will be politicised, its soul and thinking will be politicised.

“I say this is not a good choice. It must be reconsidered because Bernama is neutral,” Rais told reporters after a book launch at Universiti Malaya on Friday (Sep 21).

“In the past, we did not choose people with strong political involvement to lead Bernama,” he claimed.

According to sources, Wan Hamidi who is deputy director of DAP-linked think tank Research for Social Advancement (Refsa) was slated to take over from current Bernama CEO Datuk Seri Zulkefli Salleh when he retires next month.