KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 30): Star Media Group Bhd announced today that its group managing director and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai has submitted his notice of retirement and will be relinquishing the two posts on Jan 1, 2019.

The 57-year-old will also be giving up his directorship in all subsidiaries of the company with effect from the same date, the group said in a stock exchange filing. 

The necessary announcement will be made when a suitable successor is appointed, it said.

But Wong, who has been with the Star Media Group for 34 years, will remain with the company its group adviser on editorial and corporate relation matters.

"He has been a valuable member of the board and management team. The board of directors and management of Star Media Group wish to express its deepest appreciation to Datuk Seri Wong for his invaluable contribution to the company and group," the filing further read.

In a separate statement, Wong expressed his gratitute for having been given the opportunity to serve as Star Media's MD and CEO for six years, despite leaving earlier than he was contractually obligated to, in year 2020.    

"That’s a pretty long time in Malaysian corporate life, and more so in a most challenging business like the media. The role of a CEO in a Malaysian media company is certainly very different from that of my counterparts in other companies, which is much more straight forward," Wong said.

Wong first joined Star Media's flagship English newspaper, The Star, in 1984, and earned only about RM300 a month then. He rose through the ranks and was appointed the newspapers' group chief editor on Jan 1, 2008 -- the youngest person to take on the role. Subsequently, he was made Star Media's MD and CEO on Nov 20, 2013.

“I joined The Star for what it stood for, despite its lower pay, compared with other established media outlets then. While there is always hype over how politics should be reported, I’d like to emphasise that we have continuously advocated moderation as our brand,”
 Wong said.

He said the company was previously known as Star Publications Bhd but has now evolved to become Star Media Group to reflect its wider assets, as the group expanded its reach from print to online, to radio, then events and exhibitions, and now over-the-top (OTT) video services.

“Transformation has taken place, and we are completely into the digital era, where we are digital first. But I will leave my trusted colleagues, whom I’m sure will do a better job, to deal with the changing times,” he said.

“It’s not the end of an era for me. I just want to return to my passion – journalism and writing. After all, this is part of succession planning and transformation,” he said. “I’m blessed to have worked for the company, and if I were to start all over again, I will still choose The Star.”