While certain quarters are objecting to the takeover of two Chinese dailies by MCA-controlled Star Publications Bhd, seeing it as a threat to media freedom, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) did not appear to be unreceptive of the idea.

Instead, the NUJ said that the editorial integrity and staff welfare of the Nanyang media group, which runs the dailies - Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press - be given priority.

In a press statement, NUJ president Norila Md Daud said the union regrets that under the current management, the circulation and readership of Nanyang Siang Pau , which used to be the leading Chinese language daily, have dropped drastically.

"Not only has the management performed poorly in enhancing the daily's status, the newspaper has also seen sad episodes of Voluntary Separation Schemes (VSS), inappropriate staff displacements and reduction of benefits for workers in the past 10 years," she said.

"We also note the present management team of the Nanyang media group has not been union-friendly and had occasionally violated the NUJ-Nanyang Siang Pau Collective Agreement," she added.

Editorial integrity

NUJ also demanded that any groups seeking to takeover Nanyang must "ensure their utmost efforts in promoting the media group's editorial integrity and ensuring long-term benefits for its employees".

"The interference in editorial policies by media owners would severely jeopardise the credibility and ability of newspapers to report independently, truthfully and fairly," said Norila.

The union also urged the "new owners" of the media to take immediate steps to improve its relationship with NUJ in the interest of "industrial harmony and press freedom".

Meanwhile, NUJ vice-president Cheah Kee Ling, who is also the head of the NUJ-Nanyang Branch, said the latter is "in no position to intervene or question the management on what they were doing".

"We only hope that the new owners would improve the welfare of the staff and also ensure there is no political interference in the running of the dailies," said Cheah.

When news of the proposed acquisition broke, it garnered a wave of criticism from several quarters, including opposition party DAP and Charter 2000, a citizens' initiative for press freedom.

Their concerns were that the takeover by MCA was politically motivated and would impede press freedom.

Last Saturday, a group of minority shareholders wrote to Nanyang Press executive chairperson Quek Leng Chan, urging him not to "relinquish control" of the two vernacular newspapers to a "Chinese-based Barisan Nasional component party".

Rotten fish head

Meanwhile, a Chinese youth organisation today said the proposed takeover was obviously a decision made by 'certain' leaders since many, including its deputy president Lim Ah Lek, were not informed about the deal, said.

Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Youth Graduates Society chairperson Chew Chong Sin said this showed that some of the "rotten fish head" had ignored the feelings and aspirations of the Chinese community.

"They (these leaders) would try to utilise the media to attack their opponents," he said.

On Tuesday, Lim told malaysiakini that the proposed takeover was not discussed during the weekly presidential meetings and that party president Dr Ling Liong Sik had not informed top leaders about the deal.

"Even being the second man in the party, I was not informed at all," said Lim who claims to be not in favour of the acquisition.

Chew also queried whether Hong Leong was under pressure to sell Nanyang due to the political factor.

"The takeover involves the interest of the public and the move would result in the Chinese media losing its independence and may end up like the defunct Thung Pau ," he said.

Malayan Thung Pau Daily News was the Chinese daily under Star Publications which folded up in the mid-1990s.

"We hope that Nanyang Press executive chairperson Quek Leng Chan will disclose the details of the takeover to the shareholders and the Chinese community," added Chew.