Employees of the country’s oldest Malay publication Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Bhd were told to pack up their belongings and leave the office by 1pm on Wednesday as the cash-strapped company officially ceased operations.

At a press conference, National Union Journalist (NUJ) Utusan representative Mohd Taufek Razak criticised the management for their cowardly behaviour, leaving them in the lurch without facing the retrenched staff and explaining the situation.