Journalists from The Sun daily today braved the evening rain and picketed against the company's suspension of their two colleagues who were credited for a report published on Christmas about an alleged plot to kill the country's top two leaders.

K Kannan, chairperson of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), Sun branch, said the journalists stood by the controversial report.

He added the journalists also protested against the company's apology to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his deputy, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, which appeared on the daily's front page two days after the report was published.

The apology claimed that the allegations in the report were 'baseless'.

"We strongly believe the front-page news since Dec 27 was not written by any editorial staff," said Kannan.

The news on Dec 25 reported that police have uncovered a plot by local politicians who hired someone nicknamed "Raja Commando" to kill Mahathir and Abdullah "in a month or two".

It was picked up by foreign press and published worldwide. Though Mahathir denied knowledge of the plot and brushed off the report, he subsequently criticised the newspaper for sensationalist reporting and said it could have adverse effects on the country's economy.

Editor-in-chief and executive director H'ng Hung Yong resigned last Wednesday, followed by editor Andy Ng the next day.

Four other staff - chief news editor Robert Ho, managing editor Chong Cheng Hai, as well as Kuala Lumpur-based reporter R Manirajan and Penang-based photographer Anita Md Nasir, who were both credited for the report, have been suspended indefinitely.

Ng, who stood by the story, later told The Malay Mail that the assassination story was checked above and beyond the norm for weeks before it was published.

"We spoke to a deputy minister and a deputy press secretary on this matter... but no one, among those whom we checked with, said we cannot run it," he was quoted as saying.

On Dec 27, lawyer VK Lingam was appointed the deputy chairperson of the Sun Media Corporation, publisher of the daily while Frankie Tay Thiam Siew was appointed executive director.

'Demoralised'

Kannan (photo, right) today said the journalists are now demoralised as they felt that the new management has taken over editorial control.

"The management people are now attending the editorial meetings and they have veto power on what is to be published and what is not," said the senior journalist.

He added the journalists refused to have their names published with their stories until the management's interference in editorial process is halted and the two suspended journalists are reinstated.

Joined by a score of supporters from other media companies, about 40 staff of The Sun marched from their office headquarters in Petaling Jaya to the main road nearby at 5pm though it began to rain.

For an hour, the drenched journalists chanted 'Press freedom', 'Bring back Mani and Anita', 'Long Live The Sun' and 'Go back Lingam' while holding cardboards which read 'Leave the news to newsmen', 'Plot to kill The Sun', 'Don't mess (up) our editorial content' and 'Reinstate Mani and Anita', amongst others.

Some passing motorists honked in support.

Also present were several top officials of the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) including secretary-general G Rajasekaran and NUJ secretary-general Hong Boon How.

Rajasekaran said he had sent a letter to Lingam asking for the company to revoke the suspension of the four editorial staff which was "unwarranted and uncalled for".

He said otherwise, journalists may in future refuse to undertake any assignment on the ground that they could be sacked for writing the report.

NUJ's Hong said the journalists have the backing of the union on this matter.

He added that the unhealthy trend among news organisations to compete for exclusive stories will only make more scapegoats like the two suspended journalists from The Sun when things go wrong.

Contract terminated

Meanwhile, journalist K Ravindran told the crowd that he was informed by the management earlier this afternoon that his contract would not be extended for another year as promised two weeks ago.

According to the letter by the management, the company could not renew his contract as it was suffering losses.

But the 60-year-old Ravindran said, "It was vindictive. They are victimising people who are productive and bringing back good stories."

The journalists were also picketing for their two-month bonus promised to them in a letter from the management last month after a series of negotiations with the union. They were to be paid a one-month bonus by end December and another month's bonus in three instalments commencing February.

However, in a meeting with the editorial staff on Saturday, Lingam said the issuance of the bonus would be re-looked.

The journalists will hold a second picket and a candle-light vigil to show solidarity with the suspended journalists outside their office tonight at 11.30pm.