Senior columnist and writer with Sin Chew Jit Poh daily, James Wong Wing On threw in his resignation today in protest of MCA's takeover of two Chinese-language newspapers which he said would stifle their independence.

Wong said MCA's takeover of Nanyang Press, which publishes Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press , is an attempt to "control and manipulate" the papers.

"This cannot be approved and allowed by the Chinese community which has always been looking upon the Chinese-language media as non-partisan, impartial, fair, independent and as guardians of the legitimate interests of the community," said Wong in his resignation letter to Sin Chew Jit Poh editor-in-chief Koo Cheng.

Yesterday, MCA's financial arm Huaren Management took over 72 percent in Nanyang Press for RM230 million in cash from tycoon Quek Leng Chan's Hume Industries and its wholly owned subsidiary Hume Plastics.

Huaren also controls English-language daily The Star .

A statement to the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange late yesterday said the deal will be signed no later than 4pm on Thursday, May 31.

It has also been reported that Sin Chew Jit Poh is eyeing a stake in Nanyang Press. The daily has not come out openly to deny the reports. However, some of its senior management staff have already taken over responsibilities at Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press effective today.

Sin Chew Jit Poh is the largest selling Chinese daily in the country, followed by China Press and Nanyang Siang Pau .

'A shame'

Wong, who is former DAP member of parliament, has been with Sin Chew Jit Poh since 1996.

Wong lambasted Sin Chew Jit Poh for only carrying reports on what MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik has to say about the takeover and blacked out alternative opinions expressed by many organisations as well as journalists from the affected papers.

"It is a shame the English-language media like The Sun and malaysiakini reported more fairly on an issue so close to the heart of the Chinese community and readers of the Chinese-language newspapers," said Wong.

The takeover will undermine the proud and glorious tradition of Chinese newspapers of being independent, impartial and fair to all political parties, he stressed.

With the acquisition, MCA, which is the second largest political party in the ruling coalition, will have full control of all the publications under the Nanyang group which include magazines New Life Post , Feminine , New Tide , Long Life and CittaBella .