KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 9 -- Utusan Malaysia's journalist union chairman reminded Umno today that the newspaper had tried to resist its interference since 1962, blaming the political party for the demise of the country's oldest Malay vernacular paper today.

Speaking at the press conference, Mohd Taufek Razak said the decision of Utusan Melayu Bhd to cease operations today left 862 people jobless.

He said Umno's decision to meddle in the newspaper's direction meant Utusan Malaysia was forced to share whatever fate befell the former ruling party.

"So today it has been proven that when Umno is no longer in power, this is what we are forced to face," Taufek said emotionally.

"To us, this is the aftermath of political control on a newspaper. Th...