Utusan group chief editor Aziz Ishak today accused senior journalist Hata Wahari of harbouring ‘bad intentions' against the Malay language daily.

NONE "He said that based on his perception, my statements harboured ill intentions against Utusan. I said that my statements were not only directed at Utusan but also at other media.

However Aziz did not zero in on which statements exhibited such ill-will, related Hata who is the president of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ).

The Utusan group chief editor was the first witness called by a domestic inquiry against Hata held at the Utusan training centre in Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur, today.

Aziz was called to provide evidence that Hata, as the NUJ president, had made statements against the interests of his employer.

"He said that my statements goes against company policy of carrying the aspirations of BN and Umno," added Hata.

Aziz gave his testimony for the prosecution in the morning session until 1pm when proceedings broke for lunch.

Hata, who is conducting his own defence, then cross-examined the group chief editor for three hours before the three member inquiry panel.

Utusan was represented by a two-man prosecution team.

The domestic inquiry proceedings ended at 6pm after Aziz finished his testimony. The hearing was then postponed to Mar 10 for more witnesses to be called.

Also there to observe the proceedings were two representatives from the Utusan NUJ chapter, led by its president, Taufik Razak.

Vocal outbursts

 The NUJ president was hauled up on charges of going against the company's interest in his vocal outbursts which the daily claims, dragged the company's reputation through the mud.

Many, though, see the inquiry as a convenient excuse to drum the vocal union leader out of Utusan.

Hata is not the first Utusan journalist affiliated with the NUJ who has been hauled up, put through a domestic inquiry and sacked by the Malay-language daily.

Former reporter Amran Ahmad, who was then chairperson of the NUJ-Utusan branch, had been given the same treatment in September last year when he reported the daily to the MACC for 'lavish' and unnecessary expenditures in several bureaux.