The management of both The Sun and The Edge kept a tight lid on any impending changes to the editorial team at the English daily newspaper, refusing to comment on reports over the weekend that senior executives of The Edge will move in today to take over the newspaper's operations.

It was reported by The Star last Saturday that the two publishing companies had entered into a share swap which would make them "almost equal partners" in the new entity. Tan Boon Kean, the managing director of the Edge Communications Sdn Bhd, which publishes the profitable business weekly, will be appointed managing director of Sun Media Group, which publishes the daily.

Today, editor Andy Ng continues to oversee the newspaper's operations, although it is expected there would be some major changes on the editorial floor quite soon. A personal assistant to the editor told malaysiakini that no statement would be made on the two companies' tie-up.

This morning, top executives of The Edge were huddled at a meeting, but no one was available to make any statement on the impending changes at The Sun . It was reported that The Edge's current editor, Ho Kay Tat, will also assume a new post at the daily as group chief editor.

Nonetheless, an impact would soon be felt at rival newpaper The Star , especially its Business section, since business and financial journalists and related expertise at The Edge would be now available to improve the Sun's business content.

Sun Media chief executive officer, H'ng Hung Yong, who was recruited one-and-a-half years ago by main shareholder Vincent Tan Chee Yioun to turn around the loss-making daily (then five years old), told the staff at The Sun last Friday he was stepping down.

H'ng, a higly respected journalist credited with taking The Star's early progress and development to become Malaysia's largest circulating English daily today, was reported to have wanted to resign earlier following much hindrance to his initiatives to "revamp" the newspaper.