A story in the The Malaysian Insider says that Dato' Johan Jaafar is tipped to be 'Najib’s new media czar.' The report says, "Datuk Johan Jaafar, the ex-editor-in-chief of Utusan Malaysia who was once identified as being close to former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has been designated as the new media czar for the in-coming administration of Datuk Seri Najib Razak."Yes, it is always about whose man anyone is, isn't it? I was rather happy reading that article, though. At least, we will have someone who reads, someone who thinks and someone who writes well too. And, he wouldn't require someone else to do his columns either. I have known him for sometime now, and I have always admired his quiet intelligence and speech.
He 'will be appointed a director of The New Straits Times Press Berhad (NSTP) and chairman of Media Prima Berhad', the report says. He 'is expected to be appointed an executive director in NSTP, the publisher of the New Straits Times, Berita Harian and Harian Metro.'
Dato' Johan Jaafar, who writes equally well both in English and Malay, started his career in Dewn Bahasa dan Pustaka and was appointed editor-in-chief of Utusan Malaysia, where he was regarded as 'high-brow and elitist'. I hope he does not change that. We could use some level of intellectual debate. We have had enough dumping down, so much so that sometimes, I wonder what kind of people, a Martian visiting earth would think after reading our newspapers, live here.
Your take from here on.
The Malaysian Insider
