Chinese lobby groups and opposition leaders today voiced strong objections to a possible attempt by Sarawakian timber tycoon Tiong Hew King to bid for a stake in Nanyang Press Holdings which was acquired by MCA last month.

"We are of the view that commercial monopoly is as bad as political control. It could hurt the independence and development of the newspapers," said Committee Against the Takeover of Nanyang Press (CAT) chairperson Tang Ah Chai.

He was responding to Tiong's statement in a recent interview with regional Chinese news magazine Yazhou Zhoukan . The excerpt of the interview was carried in daily Sin Chew Jit Poh last Friday. Tiong is a major shareholder in Yazhou Zhoukan .

In the report, Tiong, owner of Pemandangan Sinar group which publishes Sin Chew and Guang Ming Daily , did not deny the possibility of purchasing a stake in rival publishing group Nanyang from the MCA.

Tiong reportedly said he had had several discussions with Quek Leng Chan, former owner of Nanyang Press, on buying the company previously but the discussions were "fruitless". Nanyang publishes the Nanyang Siang Pau and the China Press .

He also said he was still interested in taking control of Nanyang and was willing to work with MCA to achieve this aim.

"If MCA wants to cooperate with me, I must have the biggest say in the management. Both parties should have a mutual understanding and let the professionals run the editorial department without any political pressure," he was quoted as saying.

Tiong also refuted public criticism that the his aim to take over Nanyang Press was to turn himself into a media baron in this country. "These people have submitted to the Western media domination and they do not want to see the rapid growth of Chinese media worldwide," he said.

He added that the consolidation of the two rival media groups, Nanyang Press and Pemandangan Sinar, will deter the "vicious competition" between the newspapers, and create a "win-win situation" for the betterment of Chinese rights.

Monopoly danger

In his press statement, CAT's Tang said such a monopoly of Chinese newspapers will cause much damage to community interests.

"Journalists and advertising agents will have no choice but to work for the same employer, who will dictate their welfare benefits and job security," he said.

"Advertisers will lose their bargaining power and distributors will see their businesses reduced once readers are tired of one-sided, monotonous news. This will sap the morale of journalists and further weaken the Chinese media," he added.

He said the separate statements issued by Sin Chew and Tiong before and after the MCA-Nanyang deal contradicted each other.

"The public should doubt the integrity of Tiong as they have been misled into believing that his media group played no role in the MCA's takeover of Nanyang Press," he said.

Meanwhile, in a separate press statement, DAP treasurer Fong Kui Lun said although Tiong had contributed towards the development of Chinese media and culture over the years, his attempt to control Nanyang Press was not looked upon favourably by the Chinese community.

"On one hand, Tiong says he wants to resist the domination of the Western media but he also wants to establish his domination of the Chinese media on the other. The people will not approve of his actions," he said.

In another press statement, DAP political education director Teng Chang Khim said unless Tiong can convince the people that the West is jeopardising Chinese interests in local media, his efforts to secure Nanyang Press may just as well be a "hidden agenda."

"Such monopoly by a political party and a business group is only a way to kill off the free flow of information and different opinions in society," he said.

Strong protests

Two weeks ago, MCA's investment arm Huaren Holdings took over Nanyang Press despite strong public protests against the controversial RM230 million deal.

Shortly after this, several key editors and directors of Nanyang Press were ordered to leave the company and were replaced with a new editorial and administrative line-up taken from rival paper Sin Chew .

Sin Chew later issued a statement saying that it had been made a scapegoat and had never been involved in the takeover deal. It also insisted that the departure of its staff to Nanyang was entirely their "personal decisions".

Following this, several Chinese lobby groups, including CAT, called for a boycott against the two MCA-controlled papers.

Subsequently, MCA president Ling Liong Sik announced that the party was willing to divest a strategic stake in Nanyang Press to those who were interested.