New Straits Times Press Group editor-in-chief Abdullah Ahmad, better known as Dollah Kok Lanas, was sacked from his post last night with immediate effect.

The decision was made at the Umno management committee meeting last night which was chaired by acting president and prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The committee comprises of all the party's vice-presidents as well as the secretary-general and information chief.

NSTP, which publishes New Straits Times, Sunday Times, Malay Mail, Sunday Mail, Berita Harian, Berita Minggu, Harian Metro and Metro Ahad, is an Umno-linked company.

It is believed the decision was made following recent articles by Abdullah which openly promote Defence Minister Najib Razak as the new deputy premier. Abdullah served as political secretary to Najib's father and the country's second prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein.

A source told malaysiakini the party was angered by these articles which were "seen as trying to teach the leadership on how to run the party".

Newly minted prime minister Abdullah has yet to announce his decision on who should be the deputy premier.

"The last straw was his (Abdullah Ahmad) speech last Saturday which was carried in NST and Berita Harian on Sunday in which he had warned that Pahang would fall to the opposition if Najib was overlooked for the number two posts."

No comments

Abdullah is in Hong Kong at present and could not be contacted for comments.

NST Group editor Ahmad Talib has been put in charge until a new appointment is made. When contacted by malaysiakini this morning, Ahmad declined to comment on the matter.

While NSTP refused to officially confirm the sacking, sources close to the publication said that changes in the newspaper organisation were already made to affect the decision.

Abdullah, a former member of Parliament for Kok Lanas, Kelantan, was appointed to helm the daily following the removal of A Kadir Jasin in 2000.

His appointment saw some drastic changes in the business section of the publication which included the merger of Business Times with NST.

Abdullah also made some changes in the editorial set up of the daily and tried to boost its sagging circulation by including more analysis and opinions in the 157-year-old daily.

No political motive

However a report by AFP quoted sources close to the premier as denying the editor's sacking was politically motivated, but said it was due to an article written by Abdullah which criticised the Saudi government and soured bilateral ties.

It embarrassed the new premier and Umno, and "caused grave damage to ties with Saudi and the credibility of Malaysia" at a time when it is chairing the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), a source told AFP.

"He has gone overboard. His article is against the interest of the nation and he has to be responsible for it," the source added.