Mazlan Nordin

Mazlan Nordin (Jawi: مزلن نوردين (14 October 1925 – 22 March 2012) was a Malaysian journalist. He was a journalist at Utusan Melayu and Berita Harian; Editor-in-Chief and managing director of Utusan Melayu (1983–1987). Then first Chief Editor and chairman of the Malaysian National News Agency (BERNAMA) from February 1989 until 2003.

Mazlan Nordin was an Editorial Department Consultant at New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd (2000 – September 2001) and was a columnist in Mingguan Malaysia, The Sun, New Straits Times, Asiaweek magazine and Guest Writer at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

Early life and education Born 14 October 1925 in Tanjong Malim, Nordin attended Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK), Kuala Kangsar, Perak in 1939 but his studies were interrupted when the Second World War broke out in 1941.

Career Mazlan Nordin began his journalism career as an assistant at Kedai Buku Yahaya Ariff & Sons in Kuala Kangsar. He was hired as a translator at Utusan Melayu, Singapore in June 1950. The then Editor-in-Chief of Utusan Melayu, Tan Abdul Samad Ismail, had guided the ins and outs of writing to his reporters. Samd Ismail assigned the young reporter to a story about riots surrounding the story of a young Dutch girl, named Maria Hertogh whose controversial adoption, Muslim upbringing, and return to her Catholic family and Catholic religion. His writing became front-page news at the paper.

On the side, Nordin used his English language skills to become a part-time reporter, rewriting news into English for the Singapore Free Press (later known as the Malay Mail).

After four months at Utusan Melayu, Nordin left to pursue an offer to become a broadcast journalist at Voice of America in New York.

In 1953, he rejoined Utusan Melayu. Later as editor of Berita Harian for five years. Berita Harian at that time was only a translation from the New Straits Times but changed and advanced to be more independent during Nordin's time there. He worked both as a translator and reporter and once again learned under Tan Sri A. Samad Ismail.

In 1983, he returned to Utusan Melayu as Editor-in-Chief until and then managing director until 1987.

In 1989, he became the first Editor in Chief of the Malaysian National News Agency, also known as BERNAMA.

Former Information Minister Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin who was present at the funeral said Tan Sri Mazlan's passing was a great loss to the world of journalism.

Awards Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) awarded him an honorary doctorate in communication in 2005 for his contributions to journalism.