Ex-Malay Mail (NST) news editor K Bala dies

The report in the STAR on Tuesday April 6, 2010

Ex-Malay Mail news editor K. Bala dies

GEORGE TOWN: Former Malay Mail news editor K. Bala passed away in Langkawi yesterday.
He was found dead in his bed in a hotel room by his friend R. Sunther at around 10pm last night.
Bala, 66, who was pursuing business prospects in Langkawi, leaves behind three children; a son and two daughters. His wife had died two years ago from cancer.
According to Sunther, Bala, a veteran journalist who was known to be a disciplinarian among his peers, was unwell on Friday.
"I brought him to the Langkawi Hospital for treatment and he was given medication. On Saturday, we called to check on him and he replied that he was feeling better. He was looking forward to watching the Manchester United versus Chelsea football match. I am shocked to discover that he passed away suddenly (yesterday)," said Sunther when contacted.
Bala who is the elder brother of The Star's former regional editor P.K. Katharason, was a lifelong fan of the Manchester United football club and would often take the trouble to catch all of their matches even those held in the wee hours of the morning.
Sunther said he decided to visit Bala when he did not answer the telephone calls yesterday and broke down the door when there was no reply despite the incessant knocking.

Good bye Mr K Bala

I am sad to know the passing of Mr K Bala, my `teacher and boss' when I was working for New Straits Times 1987-2005. He died in his sleep in Pulau Langkawi Monday night, according to TV3 chief new editor Ashraf Abdullah.

Bala, as we all called him, was one of the editors in NSTP that moulded me into what(ever) I am today. Although I was based in Kota Kinabalu, I did received lots of assignments from him who is based at the news desk in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. I lost contact with Bala when he quit NST and lived in Langkawi.

I am also a close friend of Bala's brother Mr P Katharason (PK to us all), a news editor with the Star. PK now lives in Kota Kinabalu after retiring ftrom Star. I remember when PK was transferred to Kota Kinabalu. Bala called me from Kuala Lumpur, telling me to `look after" PK and I did by taking PK on a `pubs hopping visit.'

I also will never forget a time when Bala was in Kota Kinabalu to lead NST's coverage of Tun Ghaffar Baba, newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister. I was to play host to Bala and now I felt I was then a very poor host to a great man. Many knew, or might had been told by Bala, What had transpired during his stay in Sabah,

I am sure that journalists and those who knew Bala mourns his passing. Good-Bye Mr Bala.

Good bye Mr Bala

Sabah journalists needs union

KOTA KINABALU: The journalism industry in Sabah will not develop and excel without a union to champion journalists' rights and look into their welfare, National Union of Journalists (NUJ) Norila Mohd Daud said today.

She said there were huge differences in perks enjoyed by journalists in the peninsula compared with those in Sabah, although they were in the same vocation.

"I'm sad to see that journalists in Sabah do not get perks which commensurate with their posts...their salary and benefits are not the same," she said after a meeting with media practitioners in Sabah here today.

Norila said she would look into the legal aspects of whether NUJ could be expanded to Sabah and Sarawak.Meanwhile, Sabah Journalists Association president Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said a pro-tem committee would be formed to discuss the matter with NUJ.-- BERNAMA

My Say:

Having worked with New Straits Times for about 20 years, I fully agreed that journalists in Sabah needed an union to champion their welfare against the `unfair' treatments accorded to them by the managements of the newspapers they are working.

Jeffrey, Kanul, Joniston & Newman

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) national Vice President Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan is likely to contest in Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan's Keningau parliamentary constituency, his political secretary Kanul Gindol is said to be going for the Kadamaian seat.

Although Kanul has not shown hints toward that direction, it was well known that at every available time he will make it a point to be with the people in the Kadamaian constituency which is now represented by Herbert Timbun Lagadan of Parti Bersatu Sabah.

A close friend said Kanul will make to the nomination centre this time around after he failed to do in the 2004 general elections.

My Say:

Kanul, a former executive journalist of Bernama will not be the only journalist eying to contest in the coming general election, which might be held next month. Talks is also making round that Sabah New Straits Times bureau chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai and Bernama's Sabah bureau Newman Tibin, a qualified lawyer, are also offering to contest in the election.

Bangkuai is said to be Pairin's PBS candidate for Kiulu. Like Bangkuai, Newman is also from Kiulu, and also hoping that Pairin will pick him up for the seat now held by Datuk Louis Rampas.

Good lucks to them.

Not much changes in SJA

The Sabah Journalists Association held its meeting today which saw Datuk Joniston Bangkuai's election as president uncontested for another term (2007-2008). He had been at the helm of the association since its inception in 1994. However, deputy president is a new man in Francis Fahir of RTM Sabah. Bangkuai is New Straits Times Sabah bureau chief, he took over from me when I was promoted to News Editor for Sabah and Sarawak in 2000. Since heading SJA, Bangkuai was only challenged once by Lichong Angkui then Berita Harian Sabah bureau chief. Angkui, who had since left Berita Harian, lost in the election. He is now editor of www.keruak.com.

At their meeting today, a motion was also unanimously passed to make Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman as a life member of the SJA. The patron is also the Chief Minister.

My Say:

SJA was born as a `house'for Sabah journalists when the Sabah Press Club was de-registered. I happened to be one of the Club's president. Eventhough it was de-registered during my term, the action by the Registrar of Society was due to non-compliance to requirement committed by a past president.

Karim Sulaiman

Kajai award-winning journalist Sdr Karim Sulaiman is 46 year old today (Aug 12). A special friend who together with his wife Siti Hawa and their children were my adopted family while we were on our tour of duties in Europe based in London 10 years ago. Sdr Karim was full of life then pulling me along to almost every corners of UK for our assignment.

And on our return to Malaysia, I was posted to Kota Kinabalu and Kuching while Sdr Sulaiman went back to Kuala Lumpur. Not long he contracted a disease, a rare skin disease called SCLEROMYXOEDERMA which make his skin tout, stiffen his joints.

Last December (2006), his weight went down to just 35kg which is just a quarter of him 10 years ago. Today, thank God, I was told he had gained weight - 50kg. And he is now able to move around unaided, clear speech.

Sdri Siti Hawa and children, my wife Mary and children Leslie, Lester, Lesser and Clarice join me in wishing Sdr Karim a HAPPY BIRTHDAY.