Pressure of Truth
Exposing the spin on all sides of the news.
Outlet profile

New Straits Times

Malaysian, pro-establishment/government-aligned

Owned byOwned by Media Prima Berhad (through New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd, in which Media Prima holds more than 98% equity); Media Prima's own largest shareholders have shifted between Malaysian tycoon-linked holding companies (Aurora Mulia Sdn Bhd, controlled by Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary) and JAG Capital Holdings, led by Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani
FundingCommercial print and digital advertising and subscriptions, as part of the larger Media Prima group (which also owns TV and radio stations); historically benefited from close ties to Malaysia's ruling political coalition through UMNO-linked shareholders
On the administrationmostly neutral

Background

Founded in 1845 as a local edition of Singapore's The Straits Times, the paper was relaunched under its current name on 31 August 1974 after Malaysian and Singaporean operations split. For decades it was effectively controlled by interests linked to UMNO, the dominant party in Malaysia's former Barisan Nasional ruling coalition, through stakes held via Fleet Group and later Media Prima; critics and academics have documented pro-government bias in its coverage of major political events, including the late-1990s Anwar Ibrahim trials and the 2008 general election. Ownership of parent company Media Prima has changed hands among Malaysian business figures in recent years, with Aurora Mulia (linked to tycoon Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary) and, more recently, JAG Capital Holdings (led by Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani) emerging as top shareholders. The paper switched from broadsheet to tabloid format in 2005 and has diversified into digital publishing while remaining a "newspaper of record" for Malaysian government and business news. It is widely regarded by media analysts as reflecting establishment and government-friendly perspectives on domestic Malaysian politics, though its international desk, including coverage of U.S. affairs, relies heavily on wire services (Reuters, AFP, Bernama) rather than original opinion-driven reporting.

Sources

  1. Media Prima clarifies Aurora Mulia still its largest shareholder | New Straits Times
  2. Media Prima — Wikipedia
  3. New Straits Times — Wikipedia
  4. About New Straits Times Online
  5. Breaking Old Habits is Vital for Malaysia's Mainstream Newspapers – Penang Institute
  6. Who controls the media? BN hypocrisy exposed — Malaysiakini

Profile compiled 2026-09-26; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

← Back to track record