A new Chinese newspaper that has been the hot topic in recent months among the ethnic Chinese, is in its final stages of preparation and set for launch anytime soon.

The newspaper, whose printing plant-cum-office is at an industrial park in Selangor, is expected to be named Oriental Daily , or Dong Fong Yit Poh in Mandarin. Earlier, it was thought it would be called People's Daily .

Sources said a multi-million ringgit press arrived about three weeks ago, together with technicians from Sarawak-based Chinese newspaper See Hua Daily News who were flown in to assemble the unit.

Oriental Daily will be the sister newspaper of See Hua Daily News as both of them are owned and financed by KTS Sdn Bhd, a plantation company owned by Sarawakian timber tycoon Lau Hui Kang.

Lau is the elder brother of Sarawak United People's Party politician Robert Lau Hoi Chew, who is the member of parliament for Bandar Sibu.

It is estimated that preparatory work for the new daily had consumed up to RM20 million so far, which includes salaries of key editorial staff recruited since June.

Hundreds of journalists and editors who were working for Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press , two dailies published by Nanyang Press Holdings, had resigned over the past few months to join the newspaper.