PM says press row over, tells MCA to unite

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(AFP) Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today the controversy over MCA's takeover of two Chinese newspapers has been settled and urged the party to heal its divisions.

Delegates to a special meeting of the MCA voted yesterday by 53 to 46 percent to approve the party's purchase of Nanyang Press, which publishes the independent Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press .

The takeover sparked a storm of protest from hundreds of groups in the minority Chinese community who fear a further erosion of press freedom.

"They (MCA) have decided now and the majority, whether it is small or big, has approved (the purchase of Nanyang Press)," Mahathir said.

"I do hope that this does not become a divisive thing in their politics because this issue has been settled and they should now go on consolidating."

The MCA is the second largest party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

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Making a late intervention in the controversy, the premier on Friday and Saturday, during Umno annual general assembly, slammed coverage by the papers under their previous ownership for what he called pro-opposition bias.

The MCA already owns the largest English-language daily, The Star . Groups close to Mahathir's party control the other English titles and the main Malay papers.

The Chinese-language press has traditionally been more non-aligned.

Community groups fear a loss of independent voices on issues such as Chinese education and culture.

MCA president Dr Ling Liong Lik, who is also the transport minister, pledged to keep Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press editorially free as he urged delegates to back the purchase deal.

Lim Kit Siang, chairman of the opposition DAP, said Mahathir's comments "saved the day" for Ling by influencing scores of delegates.

Lim, said in a statement, it would be "a tragedy not only for the Chinese community but also for Malaysian human rights and democracy" if there was further political ownership of the mass media.



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