The institute’s chief executive, Ainol Amriz Ismail, said the Utusan Melayu journalism academic chair is not only intended to document the newspaper’s legacy but also an effort to incorporate its research findings into journalism curricula at institutions of higher learning, Bernama reported.

It would strengthen research and understanding of Malaysia’s journalistic and national history, particularly the role played by Utusan Melayu in documenting key moments and milestones.

Ainol made the proposal at a forum in Subang Jaya to mark the 86th anniversary of Utusan Melayu’s founding.

The former chief editor of Utusan group, Johan Jaafar, said Utusan Melayu had succeeded as a chronicler of history, capturing key issues and events that shaped Malaysia’s nation-building journey from the pre-war period to post-independence.