(May 12): Malay daily Utusan Malaysia is more transparent in acknowledging Umno's influence its in reportage compared to other publications, its senior online editor Gamal Nasir Mohd Ali said today.

"There is a connection between Umno and the group editors. If you look at Utusan, we acknowledge that it is owned by Umno. Fifty percent of its shares is owned by Umno.

"But if you look at other papers too, they are also indirectly controlled by political parties through individuals connected to political parties.

"So, in terms of transparency, in terms of political ownership, we are more transparent in acknowledging that we are part of Umno.

"Whereas, the other media groups are controlled by political parties through persons, NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and so forth," Gamal said at a forum in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day, "Journalism Now", in Kuala Lumpur today.

He said in his 30 years of working at Utusan, however, he had never seen Umno directly interfere with the paper's editorial decisions. – The Malaysian Insider