On 1st August 2009, Yg Bhg Datuk Seri Mohd Annuar Zaini, Chairman of Bernama Bhd had said in response to the termination of the agreement with Bernama TV Synergy Sdn Bhd:
“We have decided on this course of action after a thorough evaluation of the current financial situation affecting Bernama TV Synergy.
“As chairman, I would like to assure that the delivery and quality of Bernama’s existing services in its operation as the national news agency will continue to be maintained at the highest level.”
At the material time the Bernama Bhd’s chairman, Yg Bhg Datuk Seri Mohd Annuar Zaini, was fully aware that Bernama Bhd is our national news agency which was set up under the Bernama Act 1967. Its objectives were clear and there was no provision in the agreement whatsoever to allow a private company to use its name BERNAMA nor its logo. Furthermore, under the Act, Bernama was not set up to grant credit to a private company nor give the right to a private company like Bernama TV Synergy Sdn Bhd (Bernama TV) to use Bernama Bhd’s premises, equipment and other resources for its benefit.
What’s also at odds here was this fact. At all material times, Yg Bhg Datuk Seri Mohd Annuar Zaini was wearing two hats i.e. as chairman of Bernama Bhd and as a director of Bernama TV. Therefore, at all times he knew the financial situation of Bernama TV and how Bernama TV was relying on Bernama Bhd to survive in terms of finance and facilities. Yet, Yg Bhg Datuk Seri Mohd Annuar Zaini took no positive actions to guard the image and interests of Bernama Bhd.
But what’s most glaringly irresponsible of Yg Bhg Datuk Seri Mohd Annuar Zaini as chairman of Bernama as well as a director of Bernama TV was the fact that he had allowed Bernama TV to chalk up its debt, month by month, until it had finally ballooned to a mind-boggling RM15 million.
Further, the general public had been misled into believing that Bernama TV was part of Bernama when it was not. At all times, Yg Bhg Datuk Seri Mohd Annuar Zaini also knew that Bernama TV had no broadcasting licence and it was riding on Astro to make its broadcast.
Also, Yg Bhg Datuk Seri Mohd Annuar Zaini, as chairman of Bernama, did not at any time make any public statement to the effect that Bernama TV had no broadcasting licence and that the entity was not part of Bernama Bhd. This was in itself a grave error on the part of Yg Bhg Datuk Seri Mohd Annuar Zaini for not protecting the image and interests of Bernama Bhd. In this episode Bernama Bhd’s role as the national news agency had been gravely compromised by Yg Bhg Datuk Seri Mohd Annuar Zaini.
Moreover, in view of the involvement of the UMNO Gunung Jerai Bahagian Chairman, Yg Bhg Datuk Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah in Bernama TV, it gives the impression that Bernama Bhd is politically connected to UMNO and for this obvious reason Yg Bhg Datuk Seri Mohd Annuar Zaini had condoned the above misdeed.
Yg Bhg Datuk Seri Mohd Annuar Zaini must take full responsibility for the mismanagement of Bernama Bhd under his tenure as Chairman and immediately tender his resignation to protect the image and interests of BERNAMA BHD.
