Several hundred students from public universities are expected to hold a sit-in protest at three Sin Chew Daily offices throughout Malaysia tomorrow.

The simultaneous sit-in is expected to be held at the Sin Chew's headquarters in Petaling Jaya and its offices in Penang and Johor Bahru.

The group is protesting the recent takeover of Chinese dailies Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press by billionaire media mogul and timber tycoon Tiong Hiew King last month. Tiong also controls Sin Chew Daily and Guangming Daily .

Of the six major Chinese newspapers, Oriental Daily and Penang-based Kwong Wah Daily are the only two Chinese newspapers not under Tiong's control.

The protesting group is expected to submit a memorandum to the Sin Chew management after the sit-in, dubbed by students as the 'Anti-Media Monopoly Peaceful Assembly.'

"Chinese newspaper readers are concerned with the recent media monopoly. Thus, we are organising the sit-in to represent the society's voice," said Er Hock Chiye, one of the co-ordinators of the protest.

Er felt that it was Sin Chew's job to inform Tiong of the dissatisfaction among the Chinese readers.

"Every paper under Tiong is now publishing the same views that seem to support Tiong's interests. The Sin Chew newsmen should teach Tiong some media ethics," he added.

Management's threat

It is learnt that the Sin Chew management is unhappy with the sit-in protest at their office compounds.

"They (senior management) said that if the protest is over the media monopoly, then it be taken up with Tiong, not the newspaper," said a source.

The management is now threatening to 'chase out' the students during their sit-in protest.

"We are holding our protest in front of the offices because we want to make sure Sin Chew bosses do not miss the news."

"We want them to report it. We want them to report the voices of those who are against the monopoly," said Teng Kok Liang, a postgraduate student from Universiti Sains Malaysia and another co-ordinator of the protest.

Tiong's detractors have said that the new monopoly threatens press freedom and the interests of the Chinese community.

Tiong was urged to relinquish his shares in Nanyang Press to non-partisan interests. In addition, calls were made to beef up anti-trust clauses as in the Communications and Multimedia Act. Both Tiong and the government have yet to respond.

Total control

Last month, Chinese-based MCA announced its decision to sell off 21.02 percent of its controlling 44.4 percent stake in Nanyang Press Holdings to Ezywood, a company controlled by Tiong.

The acquisition increased Tiong's stake in Nanyang from 23.64 percent to 44.76 percent. Tiong now has 90 percent share of the Mandarin newspaper market in the country.

Nanyang Press Holdings was bought by MCA investment arm Huaren Holdings in 2001 despite strong protests by party members, media activists and the community.

Information about the sit-in can be obtained at 012-3808316 (Amy) or 012-4612911 (Kok Liang).