New Straits Times Press

New Straits Times Press, commonly abbreviated as NSTP, is a Malaysian newspaper-publishing company associated with several of the country's best-known English- and Malay-language newspapers. Its principal publications include the New Straits Times, Berita Harian, and Harian Metro. The company operates within Malaysia's mass-market news and information sector and has historically maintained a network of regional offices serving states and major cities across Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak. The company's modern corporate history is connected to the transfer of Malaysian newspaper operations previously associated with The Straits Times Press group. Those operations included the Malaysian editions or businesses connected with The Straits Times, The Sunday Times, the Malay Mail, the Sunday Mail, Berita Harian, and Berita Minggu. In 1972, an agreement was reached for Malaysian interests to acquire 80 percent of the shares in the newly established New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. The transaction reflected a wider effort to place majority ownership of a major Malaysian mass-circulation newspaper business in Malaysian hands. NSTP later expanded beyond newspaper publishing. In 1996, it joined three other parties in establishing Malaysian Newsprint Industries. The associated mill at Mentakab began production in April 1999, linking the publishing group to domestic newsprint manufacturing and supply. NSTP also controlled Berita Publishing, a business focused primarily on books and magazines, before divesting that subsidiary in 2000 to its former editor-in-chief Abdul Kadir Jasin through Alaf Positif. A major corporate restructuring occurred in 2003. NSTP and Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad were separated from Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad, which had acquired them from Renong Berhad in 1993. The businesses became part of the group structure that developed into Media Prima Berhad. Media Prima subsequently became NSTP's parent company, placing the newspaper publisher within a broader Malaysian media group with interests spanning television, content, digital media, and other communications activities. NSTP's business has been shaped by the long-term transition from print toward digital news consumption, as well as by changes in circulation economics and advertising. Its portfolio continues to combine an English-language national newspaper with major Malay-language titles aimed at broad readership segments. New Straits Times has traditionally served readers seeking national, business, political, and international reporting in English, while Berita Harian and Harian Metro address large Malay-language audiences with general news, community coverage, sports, entertainment, and popular-interest reporting. In December 2019, NSTP announced a workforce reduction affecting 543 employees and a restructuring of its bureau network. The changes were scheduled to take effect on 12 March 2020 and reduced the number of bureaus to five. The move illustrated the cost and operating pressures facing established print publishers as they reorganize reporting and distribution around a more concentrated and digitally oriented model. NSTP remains an active Malaysian newspaper publisher under Media Prima, although detailed current operating, financial, and executive information is not established in the supplied reference material.

New Straits Times Press developed from the Malaysian newspaper operations associated with The Straits Times Press group. The transfer of those operations brought together businesses connected with The Straits Times, The Sunday Times, the Malay Mail, the Sunday Mail, Berita Harian, and Berita Minggu. The corporate objective was to support majority Malaysian ownership of a major newspaper company serving East and West Malaysia. In 1972, an agreement was reached between directors of The Straits Times Press Group and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for Malaysian interests to acquire 80 percent of the shares in the newly formed New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. This transaction established the ownership framework from which NSTP developed as a Malaysian newspaper publisher. The company became associated with the New Straits Times as well as important Malay-language publications, including Berita Harian and, later, Harian Metro. NSTP subsequently participated in activities beyond newspaper production. In 1996, it joined three other companies to establish Malaysian Newsprint Industries. The company's mill at Mentakab commenced production in April 1999, providing a domestic newsprint manufacturing capability connected with the requirements of the publishing industry. NSTP also formerly owned Berita Publishing, whose activities centered on books and magazines. That subsidiary was sold in 2000 to former editor-in-chief Abdul Kadir Jasin through his company, Alaf Positif. The next major stage was a corporate reorganization involving Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad. MRCB had acquired NSTP and Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad from Renong Berhad in 1993. On 22 September 2003, NSTP and the television company were spun off from MRCB. The resulting corporate development contributed to the formation of Media Prima Berhad, which became the parent group for NSTP. This placed the newspaper publisher within a wider Malaysian media organization rather than leaving it as an independent newspaper-centered company. NSTP's publishing portfolio has continued to span different language and audience segments. The New Straits Times provides English-language news coverage, while Berita Harian and Harian Metro are major Malay-language titles with broad national readership ambitions. The group has also maintained regional offices in locations including Alor Setar, George Town, Ipoh, Putrajaya, Seremban, Malacca City, Muar, Batu Pahat, Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu, Kota Bharu, Kuching, and Kota Kinabalu. These offices supported reporting and commercial activity across Malaysia, although the later bureau consolidation reduced the scale of that network. Like other established newspaper publishers, NSTP has faced structural pressure from declining print economics, changing advertising patterns, and the migration of audiences to digital platforms. In December 2019, the company announced the elimination of 543 positions and a reduction of its bureaus to five, effective 12 March 2020. The restructuring represented a significant effort to reduce costs and concentrate editorial and operating resources. NSTP remains an active Media Prima subsidiary and an important participant in Malaysian newspaper publishing, but the supplied references do not establish a complete account of its current digital products, leadership, financial performance, or ownership percentages.

1. 2019Workforce and bureau restructuring announced

   NSTP announced a reduction of 543 positions and a plan to reduce its bureau network to five, with implementation scheduled for March 2020.

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2. 2003Spin-off and Media Prima group development

   NSTP and Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad were spun off from Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad, contributing to the corporate structure that became Media Prima Berhad.

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3. 2000Divestment of Berita Publishing

   NSTP divested Berita Publishing, its books and magazines subsidiary, to former editor-in-chief Abdul Kadir Jasin through Alaf Positif.

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4. 1999Mentakab mill begins production

   The Malaysian Newsprint Industries mill at Mentakab began production in April.

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5. 1996Formation of Malaysian Newsprint Industries

   NSTP joined three other parties to establish Malaysian Newsprint Industries.

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6. 1993Acquisition by Malaysian Resources Corporation

   Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad acquired NSTP and Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad from Renong Berhad.

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7. 1972Malaysian ownership agreement

   An agreement was reached for Malaysian interests to acquire 80 percent of the newly established New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., following the transfer of Malaysian newspaper operations linked to The Straits Times Press group.

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A Malaysian mass-market newspaper publisher serving English- and Malay-language audiences through established national newspaper brands and related digital news operations.

• New Straits TimesEnglish-language newspaper

  The New Straits Times is NSTP's namesake flagship newspaper and an established English-language publication in Malaysia. It covers national politics, business, society, sports, culture, and international affairs. The title represents the group's principal English-language news offering and forms part of NSTP's broader print and digital publishing portfolio.

• Berita HarianMalay-language newspaper

  Berita Harian is a major Malay-language newspaper published by NSTP. Its general-news orientation serves a broad Malaysian readership, with coverage extending across national affairs, politics, community issues, business, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. It is one of the company's principal mass-market newspaper brands.

• Harian MetroMalay-language newspaper

  Harian Metro is an NSTP Malay-language newspaper positioned toward broad popular readership. Its content mix includes current affairs, local and community news, sports, entertainment, and human-interest reporting. The title complements Berita Harian by serving another major segment of Malaysia's Malay-language newspaper market.

• 2019Workforce and bureau consolidationStrategy

  NSTP faced the operating pressures affecting established newspaper publishers as audiences, advertising, and news consumption increasingly shifted toward digital channels.

  What changed. The company announced layoffs affecting 543 employees and planned to reduce its bureau network to five, with the changes scheduled for 12 March 2020.

  Aftermath. The decision marked a significant concentration of NSTP's reporting and operating structure. The supplied reference does not provide further details on implementation or subsequent financial effects.

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• 2019NSTP announces workforce reduction and bureau restructuring

  The company announced that 543 employees would be laid off and that its bureau network would be reduced to five, with the changes scheduled to take effect on 12 March 2020.

  Leadership changeOther
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1. New Straits Times Press
2. The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad — Bursa Malaysia