National Union of Journalists (NUJ) Utusan Melayu branch chairman Mohd Taufek Razak has urged Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Bhd to pay the workers' compensation and salary arrears following the company’s decision to cease operations effective yesterday.

"We want the company to not only pay compensation to all employees but also pay the arrears of travel and medical claims, including gratuity payment, which have not been paid since last year.

"We also want the company to pay salary arrears for September and October. That is our great hope, especially being jobless now, we need the money to survive,” he told Bernama when contacted in Kuala Lumpur today.

Commenting further, he said the liquidator would be holding a briefing for all workers on Oct 30.

Mohd Taufek said he hoped that Utusan Malaysia and Kosmo! would continue to be published and the new management would retain all 862 workers.

- Bernama