KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — Utusan Malaysia is unlikely to get the aid it needs for survival so long as Umno wants to retain control and ownership, Datuk A. Kadir Jasin said.

The former New Straits Times group editor-in-chief said it was illogical to appeal for Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to rescue the newspaper when the Malay nationalist party appeared intent on maintaining its influence there.

"I know Dr Mahathir does not want Utusan to die. But as long as Umno insists on keeping its control of Utusan, there isn’t must anyone can do,” he wrote on his personal blog.

He also pointed out that Utusan Malaysia had joined in former Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s offensive against Dr Mahathir when the latter began criticising 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Umno’s ownership of Utusan Malaysia previously led the newspaper to be viewed as the party’s de facto mouthpiece.

The newspaper was already struggling financially before the general election but its problems worsened significantly after its patron was voted out of power.

It is struggling to pay worker salaries and reportedly came close to shutting down last month before the management opted to continue operations.