In a statement, the union’s president Farah Marshita Abdul Patah said over 3,000 people in the struggling media industry have lost their jobs since 2019, first due to the digital disruption and then Covid-19.

“There are media workers who were retrenched without any compensation because (their company’s) operations suddenly stopped.

“A lot of them are finding it challenging to find new jobs because of the economic situation,” she said.

Farah said many who were compensated by their employers had gone into business but the prolonged pandemic has had a huge impact on their new ventures.

She said the media industry is likely to continue to struggle, affecting the morale of those in the industry and those who are hoping to return.

Farah said throughout the pandemic, the welfare and safety of media personnel has been overlooked as there is no allocation for health checks, allowances or safety equipment although they have to be out on the field with other frontliners.

“We hope the government will develop a special programme to help and ease the burden of media personnel and former industry employees urgently as the declaration of emergency until August will continue to affect the industry’s recovery.”

She said this can include upskilling and reskilling programmes, as well as entrepreneurial and financial management courses.

NUJ is also proposing the establishment of a special disaster fund to help media personnel who are injured or fall ill while on duty.