Nanyang Siang Pau yesterday revamped its Sunday supplement - which was known for its critical opinions - without much fanfare or explanation, renewing fears that political interference has crept into the newly MCA-acquired Chinese daily.

Among the revamps was the retraction of a full-page opinion columns on the supplement's cover called Nanyang Saloon .

Since its inception in 1998, the weekly Nanyang Saloon earned its reputation with indepth interviews with various intellectuals, activists and politicians on a wide range of current issues such as reformasi and Chinese schools in Malaysia.

Opposition leaders have also appeared in the column. They include Keadilan leaders Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Tian Chua, Dr Chandra Muzaffar who has recently stepped down from his party post, and PRM deputy president Dr Rustam Sani.

The Sunday pullout also had its name changed from Nanyang Forum to Nanyang Feature - the newspaper's daily supplement - but several columns remain unaffected.

This means, the Sunday supplement which was traditionally handled by the newspaper's vocal leader writers, is now controlled by less outspoken editorial staff.

Directive

When contacted, the daily's former chief leader writer Teoh Kian Hoon said he was told that the directive for the revamp came from the company's management which consists of many pro-MCA appointees.

" Nanyang Forum has always been a thorn in their (management) back," said Teoh, who was in charge of the Sunday supplement for the past decade.

"Back then, we featured a lot of so-called alternative voices and developed a strong following," he added.

The 61-year-old Teoh had worked for Nanyang since 1984 and was made the chief leader writer in 1998, a post he had held until he left the company in June after it was bought over by the second biggest party in the ruling coalition after Umno.

Nanyang editor-in-chief Hoong Soon Kean could not be reached for comments on the revamp.

In May, MCA's investment arm Huaren Holdings acquired Nanyang Press Holdings, publisher of Nanyang Siang Pau and its sister-newspaper China Press , in a RM230 million-deal.

Disgruntled

The purchase met with strong objections from not only Chinese community but MCA members as well.

Sensing the disgruntlement within MCA then, party president Dr Ling Liong Sik said buying newspapers was a "strategic political investment".

Following that, Prime Minister and Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad openly labelled the dailies "tools of opposition" and conceded that the government was unhappy with the previous owner of Nanyang Press.

But the premier denied giving directive to MCA for the purchase of Nanyang Press.

In recent months, several Chinese leading organisations which have been at loggerheads with the government and MCA over issues affecting the Chinese community claimed that they were "blacked out" by Nanyang Siang Pau .

Cut down political news

Its journalists also received warning letters from the management not to tarnish the reputation of the newspaper, including talking to the press.

Early this month, a senior journalist who was leading the campaign to oppose MCA's takeover of Nanyang Press resigned in protest against the pressure from the new management.

Freelance writer Wong Chin Huat said the latest revamp to Nanyang could prove to be an effort to cut down of political news and commentaries, and to reduce the newspaper to just a business daily.

"This effort will benefit certain politicians and media groups," said Wong, with obvious reference to Nanyang's rival newspaper Sin Chew Jit Poh which is known to be 'MCA-friendly'.

It is believed that Sin Chew owner Tiong Hiew King who said he was ambitious to build an international Chinese media network initially wanted to buy over a large stake in Nanyang Press from MCA in May but the plan failed due to strong public objections.