Ex Bn Minister Disappointed Over Cancelled Paid Slot To Sue Rtm

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A former BN minister is expected to initiate legal proceedings against Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) over dissatisfaction with the sudden cancellation of his paid broadcast slot on July 21.
According to a source close to the minister, who is also an MP, he decided to pursue legal action after his complaint letter to Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil went unanswered.
“After RTM gave a half-hearted response regarding the cancellation of the paid slot and dismissed it as merely a marketing issue, the leader lodged a complaint with Fahmi.
“The complaint letter urged the minister to investigate the matter and direct RTM to provide a written explanation on the real reason behind this last-minute cancellation," the source who requested anonymity said, adding that to date, there has also been no action or feedback from Fahmi.
ADSThe source told Malaysiakini that this led to the MP pursuing legal action against the state-owned broadcaster.
Malaysiakini has contacted Fahmi’s office, the former minister, and RTM director-general Suhaimi Sulaiman for comment.
Dismissive response
The source claimed that the paid slot scheduled for 5.45pm, was cancelled only 90 minutes before airtime, allegedly due to a live broadcast of parliamentary proceedings.
“However, RTM did not air any parliamentary programme at that time. The leader’s staff then contacted RTM for clarification.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil“Disappointingly, the RTM officer gave an irresponsible and dismissive response, saying he could not comment on the matter and that only the marketing team was responsible for handling such issues.
“The question is, this was a paid slot agreed upon by RTM and the Communications Ministry. Why was it suddenly cancelled, and why was a replacement slot refused?” the source questioned.
The complaint letter to Fahmi, dated Aug 14 and sighted by Malaysiakini, stated that the slot was purchased with the approval of the Communications Ministry, and that the broadcast script was also cleared by the ministry’s commercial division.
The MP had reportedly also pressed Fahmi to investigate why there had been no prior notification of the cancellation, and why RTM refused to provide a replacement slot.
The MP lamented that the sudden cancellation forced them to spend more money on other paid media platforms to promote the programme, which was sponsored by an NGO he serves as patron and adviser.
“As a sitting MP, I take this matter seriously as it affects the government’s credibility. Our NGO has consistently purchased such slots since last year without any issues.
“Why cancel it so suddenly? This incident clearly reflects a lack of transparency, accountability, and professionalism,” the letter read. - Mkini

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