Interviewer 1 : A very good afternoon everyone, today we are going to do our interview for the

group assignment for most prominent person. I am going to introduce the members,
firstly my name is Siti Nurfarahin Noradawiyah binti Mohd Aznan.
Interviewer 2 : My name is Jazlyz Nur Najeeha binti Jasmin.
Interviewer 3 : My name is Nur Diana binti Zulkifli. I am the one who emailed you.
Interviewer 4 : My name is Mohd RIezman bin Umar.
Interviewer 5 : My name is Zulhilmi bin Zainol.
Interviewer 1 : Okay, sitting here in front of us is one of the editor of known newspaper which is
New Straits Times, the person is Mr Rashid Yusoff. So, how are you sir ?
Interviewee : I am fine. (laugh)
Interviewer 1 : thank you for giving us your time and having us here, we really appreciate it. So we
are going to start with the first question, can you tell us a little bit about yourself
and your current job ?
Interviewee : I’m originally a reporter, I have been doing this for years, I graduated like you guys
from one of the local institutions it was then called as ITM and we were at the Kajian
Sempadan Am, I Majored in Journalisms. So generally in 1985, I came here to do my
practical training internship with newspapers called The Business Times. The
newspaper eventually was incorporated into The New Straits Times in the year
2002, I think. I’ve been around for a bit, I started as a stinger and various jobs at the
time of graduations in 1986. Malaysia was then grappling with economic down term.
We found it tough to secure employment and I joined a Malay daily newspaper
called Harian Kota. And then I left the job at the Harian Kota to embark my career as
an NST’s stringer. So I left a full time job to pursue a part time employment with no
job security insight. I thought I wanted to go to the New Straits Times and I was
interviewed by the late A. Samad Ismail, a big name, promoting Malay nationalism,
joins various occations in Singapore, I sent my resignation at 2pm, and I was on the
bus to Kedah later that night and tomorrow I reported for work as a stinger in Alor
Setar. They don’t offer you salary, they pay you by column inch, they have a method
in calculating your payment.
interviewer 1 : is it counted by words ?
interviewee : Yes, they do word counts and they have a system called column inch and they have
staffs for that. But it was just was for 2 months actually, I apparently did reasonably
well to be recruited for the Business Times as to be the fulltime Cadet Reporter back
in Kuala Lumpur. 3 months later I started my career as a journalist with the Malay
Mail. To cut the story short, this is going nowhere, my narrative is going to take a
while to finish. In the Business Times, later on in various times I was asked to be a
columnist in the Business Times in the year 2001. I started under column Seri
Embarksman. The column ended after the Business Times incorporated into New
Straits Times. After a while, the year 2007, I hold a column of Malay Mail using the
same title Sri Embarksman. I also have been seconded to the government, I also
have been out of NST and I came back in the year 2010 to be the Associate Editor
and then I left in 2014, after showing enough of white hair (laugh), I came back as a
Group Editor of NST, try to revive this publication. So I have been too many
assignments, I was made as the London correspondent of NST in 1995, attended
courses, I left my family for long periods of time, I was married at that time, in
March 1994, I was in Sabah for 45 days. 5 years later, I went back to Sabah for same
numbers of days. It was certainly a long journey, journalisms has also lost from
typewriter setting. In 1995, NST has finally established, we were already working
 with computers. Back when I was in Harian Kota, I was typing with typewriters. Now,
I sometimes go through assignments with this (holding his cellphone).
Interviewer 1 : You have started your journey with NSTP 34 years ago on January 1985, so what
inspire you to venture in the newspaper industry?
interviewee : I was inspired by many around me at that time. I walked into journalisms by
default. I knew very little about journalisms but there was a friend from my
hometown in Gurun, he was the true blue journalist hand writer and he was the one
who wanted to do journalisms, he was into poetry. I said to him, “have you applied
for the university ?” he then said “I don’t know what to apply or go for actually,” I
asked him to go for Mascom. I actually said “Mascom will be good for you.” I also
submitted for journalisms and Mascom. And then I went for an interview and they
brought me to the Mascom. After a while, during the induction period, I was telling
my seniors that I wanted to pursue public relations. Another senior from my old
school basically told me that you are one of the disposition look and character,he
said “really ?” with a face (laugh). I wanted very much to be a writer for sports. My
first language was Bahasa Melayu, I manage to master my English at that time.
When I was made the editor of Dimensi, a newspaper published by journalisms
students of ITM, and to be an editor, we have to stand for elections. We have to be
fairly recognize and acknowledge by peers to be made an editor of Dimensi. I wrote
some English articles, the desire was to be with Berita Harian Sports. They had many
great news, and I was inspired by them. But the lecturers and the interviewer said,
“Rashid, you and your classmate, Rozita, both of you have to go for Business Times.”
So I had a horrid dreadful time because I had to depart the world I'm in and I had to
migrate to another world of ecosystem where I had to learn to have my dreams in
English, so that my language will be properly constructed, I was then writing. I'm a
fighter, I wanted to do things well, I wanted to do things fast, I wanted to be
passionate on things that I do. I love journalisms because it brought me instant
knowledges. I wish to tell younger Malaysians that the knowledge acquisitions are
the most delightful bit about journalisms. Right now you are in the middle of
interrogating me, asking me, I think I would be able to do it well. Journalisms
demand that you condense , you soak up information fast and systematically in
order for you to be able to sit down and write those sentences in lightning speed.
Interviewer 1 : So when you get the news, you write it out right away ?
interviewee : Yes. If you are asking me about the process, if I need to have time to write out the
structures and other things, unfortunately, we don’t have time for that (laugh). Your
thought process will be very coherent and you develop many good qualities and you
tend to speak properly. When you are not speaking in your mother tongue, you are
coherent, straight to the point, you right away compiling sentences and you develop
an attention power. With that, I hope I satisfy your answers. I wasn’t given the
leisurely of time to sit down and construct the structure. Basically, I learnt in many
places, many gurus, locally and abroad, you need to have strong few paragraphs,
you need a succinct code, strong powerful profound then on, you write the
paragraph, sort out the traffics, your readers are riding through a journey, you want
them to have messages, you want them to stick with you, then you sum up a few
important beats, continue with your narratives and end up with a strong ending.
Interviewer 2 : okay, for the next question, to be an editor is one of the most important position in
the company, so as an editor like yourself, what would be the toughest or
challenging part in holding that position?
Interviewee : You find yourself having to deal with multiple kinds of people, different mindset,
-31:44 different bias. The biggest and the most important component is your editorial
thing. Their teamwork, the bond, they have to be reminded because they all have
lots of ideas, we are dreamers, we had to come up with new things. Starting from
May, we all wanted to come up with a new thing; NST Poster, graphic illustration,
one whole page that tells the story, material prepared by journalist and
photographers are also involved. I told my team not to pressure themselves, not to
be flustered, this is going to start in May, that is how the teamwork is going to be.
We are already started with presenting the poster, as we are going to publish daily. I
ask them not to push themselves, try not to suffer as a result, the idea is to make
you even more inspired, it is more than the basic duty, everyone will be passionate. I
want the design to be stronger component of the New Straight Times. Because I
want the young to start enjoy the paper, as much as the rest. So the team are all
hardworking, they all love the job because some of the motivations, they are all
committed into it. The next thing is the readers. We tried to figure out what would
be the expectations, we believe our readers, they want to know the basic
journalisms, the analytical, the policies. Therefore, the NST ought to be very serious
in making this as a magazines (showing the newspaper in his hand) I wanted it to be
sold and published daily. Therefore I can be called daily magazines, newspaper
magazines, it can be treated as the cheapest in the world because it is only RM1.50
and we look at the topics and issues that are not normally written or pick up by
other newspapers. The New Straits Times are originated from Singapore, the
chronicles that are going on in Nusantara, occasionally we look at the region for the
main story. We decided to go for the economy for example Pasar Siti Khadijah in
Kota Bharu. We wanted our readers to have quick ideas of the world, these are all
the things that NST thinks about, we look beyond the headlines because there is a
sense of worry also in the country that the government is not doing well but we
believe there’s a lot of good things that happens that we need to take a deep
interest in. I also had interest in the sports sections, you know, all these footballs,
Liverpool versus Manchester City, but a real big story that I am so happy and proud
of is the story of Jerantut Football Association. Pahang team who played not badly,
they competed for the national league, played against Perak. These are the kind of
story I would go for. These are the two segments that I care for. I am also a
marketing person. I'm a group editor, but I'm also aware about the markets, I would
also be out there presenting the NST so that people would be drawn to us,
developing fix relationship with us, they know what we are all about.

Interviewer 2 :For third question. Being in a community where you have to work together to give
useful informational newspaper in keeping the people updated on the news, what
would you say to be NSTP’s strength inmaking people want to buy the papers and
what makes it stand out more than other newspaper in the industry?

Interviwee :I see. We gor for dept reporting. The story that we deal with and we publish. There
are huge basket of stories landing into the reservoir, the casement. Online things
thar just convert and rain on ou. We select the one that we want to treat and we will
be important to reading in nation public, to system, to the structure, to the
 economy, to the well-being of the nation, to the future of the country. Therefore,
thought process is endest. For this time, I would already communicating with reader
writer. This is a lots of marketing. (Show the newspaper). This is NSTP’s leader. This
is the agenda setting segment of the paper will devote lots of thought and effort to
this…… I’m the one driving it to rewrite because I look at various aspect of the paper.
We have dedicated writers. One of the lead of the writers is the 68 years old
gentleman. I would like taking to him of the days of stone times. Time when we
closed down put the people ….. at night. After week, I thinking the leader for
following week day. There are requires thing. One of the leader that we had
yesterday was on Pasar community marker. One of the big thing was the we wanted
to argue that Kuala Lumpur is need for a flarising market. 24 hours market that
should be world attraction that would drive economy to many level like chain
entrepeneur culture, to people enjoying their visit to pasar photo of culture
relationship. Pasar is one of the only places where not take us what religion, what
create are you from. All vegetables that about. Anyone? You don’t discriminate. It is
unify hug. I suggested to write. Suggest that country would to go one big
bazaar/pasar that should be located at Kuala Selangor. Many good roads. Endless… I
would just… our be up something… what update, korean movies. What should be
daily and endless thought process to deliver best…. therefore, the thought process
happen at all leaders and we offered package… important. There would be perfect…
not reporting incident/cases that happen last 24 hours is that route map to the
nation. These are the issues, problem things that you should be looking of this
weeks.

Interviewer 3 :So, Mr Rashid. Who would be NSTP’S toughest competitor in the newspaper
industry?

Interviewee :There have somewher around. (All laughing). they try to do their beat. Not worry
much about. They do the less. We not worry about them. We not really have
competitor because there are the publication. You can do your content and analysis.
I invite you to do content and analysis and come to one conclusion. You can do your
own exercise you want to. I am sure you will agree with me that we are the best.
That only one conclusion because of the energy we put and plot to system. It is not
superficial, artificial kind of work. We did seriously.

Farah :I can see the content usually quite input. NSTP showed good thing.

Diana :Instead of bad and negatives things.

Farah :Like metro

Interviewee :I quite like time to time to layout, caption moment that enjoyed by some readers.
Some readers may strong readership.

Interviewer 3 :We proceed to next question. 3 decades enrolling in this industry, I believe the
newspaper where still in black and white during those days and now there are
online newspaper, which can be easily accessed through smart phones. What are
your thoughts with the changing of era and the development in publishing
newspaper from paper to online?

Interviewee :You was suggesting there was transition from print to online. There has a digital
world. There is a printed existence. It fit for each other. It compliment on each
other. We also begin to thrive in this environment because we believe the digital
world distribute a blurps. Blurps or thing like this (show the newspaper) this column.
So, we can assured of the nation coming across. Many blurps in course of 24 hours
bacause ypu will come across the headline, suggestion of the story but you will not
be able to read significantly or do serious reading stuff at length. This isn’t about
was not build to read , it build where as other occasion. Therefore, we like the idea
because people put on conscious of news but unable to digest properly. We give
them full treatment is coming back in term of sell. I know even that new digital
because you are busy. You get absorb into the digital world which is fleeting and not
serious interaction. Therefore, you build om the collective and counter into
something more on point.

Interviewer 2 :Are there any decreasing of readers on newspaper?

Interviewee :No. Reader collectively have gone up naturally because of the online presence but
even the print reader went through period of correct action because of issue of
integrity.

Interviewer 4 :You have been in the industry for 34 years and had several opportunities to hold
different position or job such as a stringer – a freelance journalist, a reporter later
became an Associate Editor and now a Deputy Group Editor. With that much
experience, what would you say to give the most impact in your life?

Interviewee :I am trying to figure out the difference form you ask before. I just zoom into one
experience. December 1996. I was band in London. There was assignment in Split,
Croatia. I travel from London to Zagreb in Croatia. There was thermol in Balcon.
There were caught in bitter war. When I arrived Zagreb Airport, it was midnight. My
connecting flight at 6 in the morning. I thought I just hang around and caught the
morning flight but the war forced on people on routine. Airport had to be closed at
midnight. So, I have to go to sleep somewhere but I would not good sleep because I
have to back to airport 4 hours later. I met some wonderful Malaysian soldier guard
lonely out posed in Balcon and had interesting conversation with this people. My
group editor then wanted me to stay at Sarajevo for one week alone after the
Malaysian entourages. So, I started the journey by bus from Split to Sarajevo for 14
hours journey. It was snowing. Christmas around the corner. I was sit in the bus
next to priest. I wanted to go to Sarajevo but I got at Zenicha and it was snowing
and bitter cold. When I got off from the bus, I realized that it was not Sarajevo. It
was Zenicha. Someone on bus said it is Sarajevo. I saw different places. So, it had
been Selvian territory. I would be in some real danger because they know Malaysian
not friendly with them. Someone came running to me, grab my hand and took me
away and said ‘Where are you going sir’. I want to go Sarajevo. ‘This is not Sarajevo,
it is Zenicha. It is 80 km away.’ In order to get to Sarajevo, I got in a taxi. Then, we
negotiated the fare and write on the one piece of paper. We exchanged hardly not
single word. Very quiet. When I got to Sarajevo, Malaysian Embassy occupied
hostel. It was not fighting ended that. The hotel had broken window. Things not
working. I was walking by lift to second floor then I was attracted by this ‘mee
goreng. I walked faster and saw Mr Rustam Sani. That was the moment I survived.

Interviewer 5 :What are your personel goals you want to accomplish or a legacy that you want to
leave?
Interviewee :Legacy. What a powerful word. I don’t think that leave behind the legacy. I certainly
hope to build a strong team to take over. I left the occasion. Those guys are still
there that younger than me. When they started, I was already a senior. I want NST
to be stronger. I want the team to be better. We need to recruit more committed
journalist. We want to see more people reading up and also enjoying the e-paper on
their ipad. We strongly start charging people to read online. We started the
discussion. I would like to see culture of reading and debate in the country and the
people discuss the important things. I think this all about reading and knowledge
and having better composure and be happier. I think reading culture lead to
happiness certainly and to see younger Malaysian like you to read.

Interviewer :What are the requirement to be a journalist?

Interviewee :What you need writing skills come naturally to you with knowledge. If you
encounters a lots of facts , enjoy learning, enjoy talking to other people and
listening. Curiousity in you, it will naturally grow. Honesty. You have to be honest
with yourself. Be honest to your work. You have to do ibadah show beneficial
knowledge. Anybody can be journalist.

Interviewer 5 :Last but not least. Would you give a word or two for somebody out there to spark a
fire in them that have the passion for writing?

Interviewer :What short quote to give to people personally from you ?

Interviewee :Read extensively, varicously but always go for the beauty of pros.