Utusan Malaysia
A Malaysian Malay-language daily newspaper with roots in the pre-independence press and a later digital and print revival.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Utusan Malaysia is a Malaysian daily newspaper published primarily in the Malay language. It is one of the country’s longest-running Malay-language newspaper brands and developed from Utusan Melayu, a publication established in 1939 in Singapore. The paper was created at a time when Malay-language publishing was heavily influenced by established Jawi Peranakan and Arab-owned press interests. Its founders included businessman and Malay Union member Ambo Sooloh and journalists Yusof Ishak and Abdul Rahim Kajai. From its early years, the newspaper served as a forum for Malay political, cultural, and social opinion and became associated with debates about self-government, Malay interests, and the development of Malaya. Publication was interrupted during the Japanese occupation, when Utusan Melayu was merged with Warta Malaya into Berita Malai. After the war, the paper resumed publication and moved from Queen Street to Cecil Street in Singapore before relocating its headquarters to Kuala Lumpur in the late 1950s. The newspaper became closely connected with Malaysia’s political establishment, particularly the United Malays National Organisation and the wider Alliance and Barisan Nasional political coalitions. That relationship provided institutional importance and a substantial readership, but it also led to recurring criticism that the publication functioned as a government or party mouthpiece rather than as an editorially independent newspaper. The modern Utusan Malaysia title began publication in 1967 as the Roman-script successor and daily counterpart to Utusan Melayu, while the weekend edition Mingguan Malaysia had been launched earlier. The brand later expanded beyond its core newspaper through supplements, education content, online publishing, and sister titles including Kosmo!. In 1997, Utusan Online became an early Malaysian full-text and visual online newspaper service, offering subscribers digital replicas of the group’s print products. In 2001, the group introduced the Utusan Education Portal, a free education-oriented website that received recognition from Malaysia’s national microelectronics research institution. Utusan Malaysia retained a distinctive blue masthead and carried news, politics, current affairs, entertainment, fashion, music, health, technology, and other lifestyle coverage. Its circulation reached approximately 350,000 copies per day during the 1990s, but print readership subsequently fell sharply as audiences moved online and the Malaysian newspaper market became more competitive. The group’s financial difficulties were compounded by declining circulation, accumulated liabilities, and the political changes following the 2018 general election. In September 2018, Utusan Malaysia and Mingguan Malaysia changed from broadsheet to tabloid format in an attempt to better match reader preferences and reduce operating pressures. Ownership and control also changed. In February 2019, a 31.6 percent stake in the parent company was acquired by businessman Abd Aziz Sheikh Fadzir, ending the newspaper’s direct ownership by UMNO. Later that year, the Utusan Group announced that its print titles would close because of financial distress. A cash injection from UMNO temporarily allowed publication to continue, but Utusan Malaysia ultimately ceased operations on 9 October 2019. Reports subsequently described an attempted rescue involving Aurora Mulia and a majority stake in Dilof Sdn Bhd, although the expected November 2019 restart did not occur. The newspaper was revived under new management associated with Media Mulia. After recruitment and relaunch plans were delayed, Utusan Malaysia formally returned to print on 20 July 2020 with the front-page message “Bangkit Semula,” meaning “Rise Again.” Its relaunch was linked to a broader publishing operation that also involved other Malaysian newspaper titles and used premises associated with the New Straits Times Press group. The brand now operates through a combination of online publishing and renewed print activity. Its legacy remains significant in Malay-language journalism, while its political positioning, business failures, ownership changes, and controversial reporting continue to shape public discussion about Malaysian media.
History
Utusan Malaysia originated as Utusan Melayu, first published in 1939 from Queen Street in Singapore. It was founded by Ambo Sooloh, Yusof Ishak, and Abdul Rahim Kajai as a Malay-owned newspaper at a time when much of the Malay-language press was controlled by Jawi Peranakan and Arab publishing interests. The newspaper quickly became a vehicle for Malay public debate and anti-colonial opinion. Its publication was interrupted during the Japanese occupation, when it was combined with Warta Malaya under the title Berita Malai. After the Second World War, the newspaper resumed publication and moved to Cecil Street, Singapore. It relocated to Kuala Lumpur in the late 1950s, reflecting the political and administrative importance of the emerging Federation of Malaya. In July 1961, all 115 editorial employees went on strike over the appointment of Ibrahim Fikri as editor-in-chief. Staff feared that his previous political role would compromise the paper’s editorial independence. The dispute illustrated the tension between Utusan’s journalistic identity and its close relationship with Malay political institutions. The daily was renamed Utusan Malaysia on 1 September 1967, adopting the Romanized form of the earlier Utusan Melayu name. Its weekend counterpart, Mingguan Malaysia, had begun publication in 1964. Over subsequent decades, the newspaper became one of Malaysia’s most prominent Malay-language publications. It expanded into related print products, commercial publishing, education services, and digital media. Utusan Online launched in 1997 in cooperation with Telekom Malaysia and offered subscribers access to electronic replicas of the group’s newspapers. The Utusan Education Portal followed in 2001. The paper’s political alignment became a defining feature. It was widely associated with UMNO and the Barisan Nasional governing coalition and frequently promoted Malay nationalist positions. Supporters regarded it as an important defender of Malay political and cultural interests; critics accused it of partisan reporting, racial provocation, and insufficient separation between journalism and political advocacy. These criticisms intensified after the 2013 general election, when a front-page article asked “What else do the Chinese want?” and interpreted the election result through a racialized frame. The article was widely condemned and contributed to boycott calls from opposition-led state governments and agencies. Utusan also faced legal and editorial controversies. Politicians and public figures brought defamation proceedings over articles that allegedly distorted statements or damaged reputations. Courts awarded damages to Lim Guan Eng, Karpal Singh, and Anwar Ibrahim in separate cases. The publication was additionally criticized for articles that allegedly manipulated statements by opposition politicians and for a public defense of biased reporting by a senior editorial figure. These controversies affected the newspaper’s public reputation while digital competition and changing media consumption eroded its circulation. The business crisis became acute during the late 2010s. Daily circulation, which had reached roughly 350,000 in the 1990s, fell to about 144,438 in the first half of 2016 according to figures cited in reference material. The shift from broadsheet to tabloid in September 2018 was one response to changing reader behavior and cost pressures. In February 2019, Abd Aziz Sheikh Fadzir acquired a 31.6 percent stake in the parent company, ending direct UMNO ownership. In August, the Utusan Group announced plans to end its print editions because of financial distress. A reported RM1.6 million injection from UMNO postponed the closure, while prices were increased to help cover costs. The reprieve was short-lived, and publication stopped on 9 October 2019. A proposed restart involving Aurora Mulia and Dilof Sdn Bhd did not materialize in November 2019. The brand was eventually revived under Media Mulia. Recruitment and relaunch plans were delayed, but Utusan Malaysia returned on 20 July 2020 with the headline “Bangkit Semula.” The revived publication continued the brand’s Malay-language identity while operating in a media environment increasingly dependent on online distribution, diversified publishing, and new ownership structures.
- 2020
Print edition relaunched
[1]Utusan Malaysia returns on 20 July under Media Mulia with the relaunch message “Bangkit Semula.”
- 2019
Print publication ends
[1]The newspaper stops operations on 9 October after prolonged financial difficulties.
- 2018
Print format changes to tabloid
[1]Utusan Malaysia and Mingguan Malaysia move from broadsheet to tabloid format.
- 2001
Utusan Education Portal launches
[1]The group introduces a free education-focused online portal.
- 1997
Utusan Online launches
[1]The group enters online publishing with a subscription service providing digital versions of its newspapers.
- 1967
Utusan Malaysia name adopted
[1]The daily begins publication under the Utusan Malaysia title on 1 September.
- 1961
Editorial staff strike
The entire editorial staff strikes over the appointment of a politically connected editor-in-chief and concerns about editorial influence.
- 1959
Headquarters move to Kuala Lumpur
[1]The newspaper relocates its headquarters from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur.
- 1942
Publication interrupted during Japanese occupation
[1]Utusan Melayu is merged with Warta Malaya into Berita Malai during the Japanese occupation of Malaya and Singapore.
- 1939
Utusan Melayu begins publication
[1]The newspaper is launched in Singapore as Utusan Melayu, a Malay-owned publication serving Malay-language readers and public debate.
Products and positioning
A Malay-language national newspaper positioned around Malaysian news, Malay political and cultural affairs, current affairs, and broad lifestyle coverage, with a historically nationalist and pro-establishment editorial identity.
Daily newspaper · 1967
Utusan Malaysia
The flagship Malay-language daily covers Malaysian politics, national and international news, current affairs, business, society, entertainment, health, technology, and lifestyle. It is recognized by its blue masthead and historically served as one of the country’s principal platforms for Malay public opinion. The print edition changed from broadsheet to tabloid in 2018 and was relaunched in 2020 after a period of closure.
Weekend newspaper · 1964
Mingguan Malaysia
The weekend companion to Utusan Malaysia, Mingguan Malaysia provides longer-form news, commentary, features, and entertainment coverage. It is associated with a red masthead and was historically one of Malaysia’s highest-circulation Malay-language Sunday newspapers.
Online newspaper · 1997
Utusan Online
Utusan Online was the group’s digital newspaper service, launched in the late 1990s with electronic replicas of its print publications and online news access. Its development marked Utusan’s early move into internet publishing and digital subscription services.
Education media portal · 2001
Utusan Education Portal
A free education-oriented website launched by the Utusan group. The portal extended the brand into educational information and was recognized in Malaysia among notable education websites during its early operation.
Controversies
2013
“What else do the Chinese want?” election article
Following the 2013 general election, Utusan published a racially framed article that attributed the governing coalition’s electoral setback to Chinese Malaysian voters and questioned their political demands. The article drew widespread condemnation and led to boycott calls from opposition-led state governments and agencies.
2011
Hata Wahari dispute
Senior journalist and National Union of Journalists president Hata Wahari was suspended and later dismissed after criticizing management and the newspaper’s reporting. His subsequent protest outside the headquarters became a public symbol of internal dissent over editorial standards.
Publication of fabricated missionary conversion report
Utusan published an inaccurate report about an elderly Catholic missionary allegedly converting to Islam after a coma. The claim originated with a fictional satirical story, and the newspaper later apologized.
Brand decisions
2020
Print relaunch under Media MuliaProduct launchBackground
Following the 2019 closure and an unsuccessful expected restart, new management recruited staff and prepared a new publishing operation.
Action taken
Media Mulia relaunched Utusan Malaysia on 20 July with the front-page message “Bangkit Semula.”
Aftermath
The brand returned to print while continuing to operate in an increasingly digital and consolidated Malaysian media market.
2019
Emergency attempt to preserve publicationStrategyBackground
The Utusan Group announced that its print titles would close because of financial distress, declining circulation, and the deteriorating condition of the former parent company.
Action taken
After receiving a reported RM1.6 million cash injection from UMNO, the group reversed the immediate closure plan and raised the newspaper price by 50 sen.
Aftermath
The intervention was temporary; Utusan Malaysia ultimately ceased operations on 9 October 2019.
Cash injection. RM1.6 million (2019)
2018
Switch from broadsheet to tabloidGeneration changeBackground
The change occurred amid declining print readership and pressure to adapt the newspaper to changing reader preferences and production conditions.
Action taken
Utusan Malaysia and Mingguan Malaysia adopted the tabloid format on 16 September.
Aftermath
The format change did not prevent the wider Utusan Group from entering a severe financial crisis the following year.
Sources2 sources
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