🇲🇾 Utusan Malaysia

About Utusan Malaysia

Utusan Malaysia was founded in 1939 and was historically controlled by the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), serving as its mouthpiece for decades. Following financial difficulties and a change in political landscape, it ceased operations in 2019 but was revived in 2020 under the ownership of Media Mulia Sdn Bhd, a company linked to business tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary, who also holds significant stakes in other major Malaysian media conglomerates like Media Prima.

Utusan Malaysia has a long history of being a partisan outlet, notably serving as a propaganda mouthpiece for the former ruling party, UMNO, and promoting Malay nationalist views, sometimes inciting racial tensions. Its former deputy chief editor openly admitted to 'spinning facts' in favor of the government, and the paper lost several defamation suits for biased reporting. While now under new ownership (Media Mulia) which has pledged to uphold journalistic standards, the Malaysian media environment continues to face political pressure and partisan control, with many mainstream outlets openly partisan. The headline sample, with articles like 'Bahasa Melayu terancam di bumi sendiri' (Malay language threatened in its own land) and 'Jati diri bangsa bermula dengan sejarah' (National identity begins with history), suggests a continued focus on Malay-centric issues, aligning with its historical editorial lean.