As a normal and ordinary Chinese businessman, I think the concentration of media ownership in the hands of a handful of business groups and individuals is bad for other normal businesses, especially the small- and medium-sized businesses.

I refer of course to the MCA-Huaren takeover of Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press , possibly with the assistance of Tan Sri Tiong Hiew King's Pemandangan Sinar group which owns Sin Chew Jit Poh and Guang Ming Daily . MCA-Huaren has already controlled the English-language Star newspaper.

Economic and financial news, as well as business opinions could be manipulated to serve the interests of the few owners, to the detriment of the economy as a whole, and also to other normal and ordinary businesses which do not control newspapers and media.

Given the political control of the media, it can be reasonably expected that cronyism will rear its ugly head again.

The fact that Sin Chew Jit Poh did not carry in its news report, activities and public comments about the takeover of Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press should serve as a warning of how dangerous a concentrated media is.

It is my hope that normal and ordinary businesses which do not own nor control the media will also come out firmly to oppose the takeover of Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press .