The Star (Malaysia) Explained

The Star
Type:Daily newspaper
Owners:Malaysian Chinese Association (46%, via Huaren Holdings Sdn Bhd), Pemodalan Nasional Berhad (5%)
Publisher:Chan Seng Fatt
Editor:Esther Ng
Language:English
Circulation:248,413 (Daily Star)
246,652 (Sunday Star)
105,645 (Daily Star E-paper)
104,804 (Sunday Star E-paper)
*Source: Audit Bureau of Circulations, Malaysia – July to December 2015[1] [2]
Headquarters:Jalan 16/11, 46350
Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan
Format:Print, online
Political:Conservative

Star Media Group Berhad (doing business as The Star;) is an English-language newspaper in Malaysia. Based in Petaling Jaya, it was established in 1971 as a regional newspaper in Penang. It is the largest paid English newspaper in terms of circulation in Malaysia,[3] according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations.[4] It has a daily circulation of about 250,000, far eclipsing the circulation of its next-largest paid English-language competitor, the New Straits Times (which has a circulation of approximately 65,000).

The Star is a member of the Asia News Network. It is owned by the publicly listed Star Media Group.

History

The daily newspaper was first published on 9 September 1971 as a regional newspaper based in Penang.[5] The STAR went into national circulation on 3 January 1976 when it set up its new office in Kuala Lumpur. In 1978, the newspaper headquarters were relocated to Kuala Lumpur. The Star continues to expand its wings over the years. In 1981, it moved its headquarters from Kuala Lumpur to Petaling Jaya[6] which is also its current premise to accommodate a growing number of staff and technology devices.

In 1987, The Star was one of the newspapers whose publication licences were withdrawn in Operation Lalang.[7] [6] It resumed publication five months later in March 1988, but after its return, The Star lost its previous 'liberal flavour'.[8]

It was the first Malaysian paper to offer an online edition.[6] [9]

The Star's dominant position as Malaysia's leading English-language newspaper has, for decades, been of significant benefit to its major shareholder, the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) political party (which ruled from the independence of Malaya until 2018 as a junior member of the Barisan Nasional coalition). Between 1997 and 2007, it was estimated that the MCA's investment arm, Huaren Holdings, collected MYR270 million in dividends – almost exclusively from their 42% shareholding in the Star's parent company - with dividends peaking at MYR40 million per year between 2005 and 2007. Despite a significant portion of these dividends funding debts from their later acquisition of Nanyang Siang Pau, a total of MYR100 million was still paid out to the MCA between 2001 and 2007.[10]

Editions

The Star (daily) and Sunday Star are published in five editions. Two editions cover the northern peninsular states of Penang, Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan and northern Perak, while another two editions cover the rest of the country. As of March 2010, the newspaper has a separate Sarawak edition priced at RM1.20.

There are two main printing plants that publish four editions of The Star on a daily basis. The northern editions are printed at the Star Northern Hub in Bayan Lepas, Penang, while the other two editions are printed at the Star Media Hub in Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam, Selangor.

Features

The Star weekday paper is packaged as a 4-in-1 paper, comprising the Main Paper, StarBiz, Star2 and Star Metro. Naturally, this newspaper also contains classifieds.

The Main Paper covers the latest in both local and international news while StarBiz offers a comprehensive coverage of business developments, market trends, financial reports and updates in the stock market. Star2 features articles on lifestyle, entertainment, health, parenting, social etiquette, science, environment, fashion, food, comics and many more. The contents published on the Star Metro varies by edition, covering news and events in a particular region covered by each edition.

Weekly sections include:

Columnists

Notable columnists for The Star include Marina Mahathir, a socio-political activist and writer, Martin Khor (since 1978),[16] former head of the Third World Network, and law professor Shad Saleem Faruqi.[17]

Popular columnists who also worked at The Star included Wong Chun Wai, June Wong, Dorairaj Nadason and Martin Vengadesan.

Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first Prime Minister and chairman of the paper's parent company from the 1977 to 1989, also contributed to the newspaper through his column Looking Back which was published every Monday from 1974 to 1989. His writings in the column, which consisted of his personal accounts in the ruling party in regards to seeking Malaysia's independence, were deemed to be influential and so closely associated with the paper that its name was often backronymed by some readers as Suara Tunku Abdul Rahman (English: the Voice of Tunku Abdul Rahman).[18] [19] [20]

Ownership

The Star is a party-owned paper, associated with the former government of Malaysia. Since 1977, The Star has been effectively controlled by the Malaysian Chinese Association, a component party in the Barisan Nasional alliance,[21] though it is part of the publicly listed Star Media Group (MYX: 6084). The largest stake, at 42.46%, is held by the MCA; the three next-largest shareholders are Amanah Saham Bumiputera, a unit trust scheme exclusive to Bumiputera (15.44%), the Malaysian superannuation scheme, the Employees Provident Fund (5.98%) and Tabung Haji, the government-run hajj savings and investment fund (5.42%).[22] In April 2023, The Edge Communications Sdn. Bhd. and its owner Tan Sri Tong Kooi Ong have bought a stake in The Star, with Tong owning a direct interest of 0.25% stake and a 5.17% indirect interest through The Edge Communications.[23] [24]

Reception

A 2020 Reuters Institute poll found that 56% of Malaysian respondents trusted reporting from The Star. The percentage was tied with New Straits Times as the third highest out of the 14 media outlets surveyed.[25]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Circulation Figures – Newspapers – West & East Malaysia . Audit Bureau of Circulations Malaysia . 11 September 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170918152957/http://abcm.org.my/wp-content/reports/2015/abc-circulation-figures-jul-15-to-dec15-newspapers-west-and-east-malaysia-price-bands.pdf . 18 September 2017 .
  2. Web site: Circulation figures digital replica – newspapers . 11 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170918154822/http://abcm.org.my/wp-content/reports/2015/abc-circulation-figures-jul-15-to-dec-15-digital-replica.pdf . 18 September 2017 .
  3. Book: Weiss, Meredith L.. Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Malaysia. 17 October 2014. Routledge. 9781317629597. en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180429233223/https://books.google.com/books?id=I4XZBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA343&dq=the+star+malaysia+paper&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiis9a6zOTZAhVH9WMKHb5JALcQ6AEINTAC#v=onepage&q=the%20star%20malaysia%20paper&f=false. 29 April 2018.
  4. News: About The Star and Sunday Star. The Star (Malaysia). 30 July 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110805003451/http://thestar.com.my/info/thestar.asp. 5 August 2011.
  5. Book: U.S. Library of Congress – Item Information (Full Record). catalog.loc.gov. 1971. Star Publications. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180312032403/https://catalog.loc.gov/vwebv/search?searchCode=LCCN&searchArg=sn%2089049455&searchType=1&permalink=y. 12 March 2018. live. 11 March 2018.
  6. Book: Gin, Ooi Keat. The A to Z of Malaysia. 7 June 2010. Scarecrow Press. 9781461671992. en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180429233223/https://books.google.com/books?id=YVViEJmN99kC&pg=PA310&dq=the+star+malaysia&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwil97KKy-TZAhUI3mMKHYWLDzcQ6AEITzAG#v=onepage&q=the%20star%20malaysia&f=false. 29 April 2018.
  7. News: Former Ops Lalang detainees happy that ISA has been repealed . Eileen Ng . The Star . 28 October 2012 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150402114116/http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2012/10/28/Former-Ops-Lalang-detainees-happy-that-ISA-has-been-repealed/ . 2 April 2015 .
  8. Book: Malaysia: Mahathirism, Hegemony and the New Opposition. John Hilley . 120 . Zed Books . 2001 . 978-1856499187 .
  9. Book: Gin, Ooi Keat. Historical Dictionary of Malaysia. 18 December 2017. Rowman & Littlefield. 9781538108857. en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180429233223/https://books.google.com/books?id=hEdADwAAQBAJ&pg=PA288&dq=the+star+malaysia+paper&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiis9a6zOTZAhVH9WMKHb5JALcQ6AEILzAB#v=onepage&q=the%20star%20malaysia%20paper&f=false. 29 April 2018.
  10. News: A cash cow for Huaren. 23 March 2009. The Edge Markets. 3 November 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171107015814/http://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/cash-cow-huaren. 7 November 2017.
  11. News: Living it up . The Star Online . 20 October 2013 . 26 January 2014 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20140201213703/http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Features/2013/10/20/Living-it-up.aspx/ . 1 February 2014 .
  12. Web site: About Carsifu. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170403014020/http://www.carsifu.my/about-us. 3 April 2017.
  13. Web site: R.AGE . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150711140948/http://rage.my/ . 11 July 2015 .
  14. Web site: Student/Trafficked . The Peabody Awards . . 11 December 2023.
  15. News: R.AGE wins prestigious Kajai Award . The Star . Jul 14, 2018 . 8.
  16. Web site: Up close & personal with Martin Khor . Star Publications . 30 January 2010 . 26 April 2012 . JIN, SOO EWE . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120716203219/http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2010%2F1%2F30%2Fbusiness%2F5512568&sec=business . 16 July 2012 . dmy-all .
  17. Web site: The Star Columnists. 2 April 2010. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20100208173744/http://thestar.com.my/columnists/. 8 February 2010.
  18. News: Wong Chun Wai. Remembering Tunku. 14 February 2017. The Star. 31 August 2013. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170214201956/http://www.thestar.com.my/news/community/2013/08/31/remembering-tunku/. 14 February 2017.
  19. News: Lim. Louisa. Tunku - A gift from heaven. 14 February 2017. The Star. 18 December 2010. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170214201953/http://www.thestar.com.my/travel/malaysia/2010/12/18/tunku-a-gift-from-heaven/. 14 February 2017.
  20. Web site: Barrock. Jose. The Star, the early days. KiniBiz. 14 February 2017. 18 June 2013. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170214093242/http://www.kinibiz.com/story/issues/29533/the-star-the-early-days.html. 14 February 2017.
  21. Book: Crouch, Harold A.. Government and Society in Malaysia. registration. 86. malaysia star controlled by government.. 1996. Cornell University Press. 0801432189. en.
  22. Web site: Star Media Group Berhad . 17 November 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171107003405/http://www.midf.com.my/images/Downloads/Research/Equity/Star/Star-Streamlining-its-business-operations-MIDF-130916.pdf . 7 November 2017 .
  23. Web site: Kit . Chan Wai . 2023-04-25 . Report: The Edge, owner buy 5.42pc stake in Star Media Group . 2023-04-25 . Malay Mail . en.
  24. Web site: Tay . Chester . 2023-04-25 . The Edge owner buys 5.42% stake in Star Media . 2023-04-25 . The Edge Markets.
  25. Book: Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2020. Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. University of Oxford. 99.

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