Several writers have expressed concern over the proposed Nanyang Press takeover bid by MCA, a Barisan Nasional component party, saying it was another ploy by the government to conceal the abuse of power and corruption of its leaders.

Independent Media Activists Group (Kami) spokesperson Ahmad Lutfi Othman said in a statement today that newspapers are being used to promote the government's official stand and "twist statements made by opposition leaders".

"When political camps struggle for power between themselves, these newspapers will be used to denigrate political enemies within the same party," said Ahmad Lutfi, who through Kami, spoke for 14 different groups of Malay publications.

"Until now, this is the leaning of the daily Malay and English newspapers due to direct control by companies that are linked to ruling political parties,"he added.

He said opposition political parties should be allowed to own and publish their own newspapers and any control of their publications would be viewed as a violation of their right to freedom of speech.

Ahmad Lutfi was responding to the proposed bid by Huaren Holdings, the investment arm of MCA, to acquire a majority stake in Nanyang Press owned by Hume Industries (M) Berhad.

Nanyang Press publishes two major Chinese-language dailies, the Nanyang Siang Pau and the China Press . Huaren Holdings currently owns Star Publications which publishes the English daily The Star .

Excommunicate

Freelance writer Wong Chin Huat, who writes for the vernacular Sin Chew Jit Poh and Nanyang expressed regret over the takeover bid which he claims would be a "monopolistic nationalisation of the Chinese media situation".

He said it would be an end to the Chinese press' previous independence and its relatively outspokenness on various issues including ethnic politics.

He said consumers and advertisers would now have no choice but to rely on one newspaper company for their needs.

"Independent media also means a balance where reporting is concerned. The differently-owned Chinese newspapers have been able to criticise each other in the past and correct any misreporting," he said.

"We may be moving towards a situation like Singapore where there is only one media group," said Wong, adding the consequences were not only bad for politics but for businesses as well.

Wong said the Chinese community may eventually "excommunicate" themselves from MCA and turn to alternative news sources.

Keadilan's Communications Bureau, in a press statement said if the proposed Star-Nanyang deal came through, it would have an impact on society and the local media sector, which does not have the freedom to disseminate information.

The Bureau said it was organising a forum to discuss the issue on Sunday, June 3 at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in Kuala Lumpur. Several independent writers such as academician Chang Teck Peng, malaysiakini news editor Fathi Aris Omar and Kami's Ahmad Lutfi Othman would present their papers on the topic..