Nearly 300 hundred students held a peaceful sit-in at several Sin Chew Daily offices throughout Peninsular Malaysia yesterday.

The students converged at the daily's headquarters in Petaling Jaya, as well as its offices in Johor Bahru, Penang and Kuantan yesterday evening.

In Petaling Jaya and Penang, students managed to hand over memorandums, which state their dissatisfaction at the recent takeover of Nanyang Daily and China Press by Sarawak timber tycoon Tiong Hiew King.

The memorandum called for Tiong to relinquish his monopoly by giving up the controlling stake of several of his dailies. It also called the government to abolish the 1984 Printing and Publishing Act.

More than 150 students congregated outside the daily's headquarters beginning at 6.45pm, despite entrances being blocked by trailers. [View video clip ]

A similar situation was reported in Penang where the entrances were also blocked. Some 50 students conducted the sit-in instead near the premises of Guang Ming Daily's office.

There was no blockade at the Johor office, where some 50 students gathered. However there was a complete shutdown of the office during the sit-in.

Witnesses reported that lights had been switched off, while all doors and entrances leading were closed. Students were unable to hand the memorandum to the management.

Only two students participated at the sit-in outside the Kuantan office. They were also unable to hand over the memorandum.

Come meet the readers

In Petaling Jaya, students, who are from local public universities, shouted slogans in protest against the monopoly by Tiong.

Tiong now owns four of the largest Chinese dailies in the country, including Sin Chew and Guang Ming Daily . In total, the four dailies command a 90 percent stake in the nation's Chinese-language newspaper market.

A large number of the participants were former Sin Chew cadet reporters.

"Today the readers are here. Why the bosses behind the gates refuse to come out and meet the readers! What are they afraid of?" said one participant.

"We are here to make a stand for press freedom. Press freedom in Malaysia is under severe threat. We oppose this new monopoly (by Tiong)," said another participant.

The sit-in, which lasted one hour, saw speeches, singing and slogan chanting from students, who wore white T-shirts with words 'anti-monopoly' printed in both English and Chinese. Students sat, holding either posters or lit candles.

"We want this (sit-in) to be in Sin Chew's headlines tomorrow! Remember to get yourself a copy of Sin Chew tomorrow," said one student sarcastically.

Watching over the fence were dozens of Sin Chew staff, some of which were taking pictures of their own of the sit-in.

Seen to be present was the newspaper group managing director Liew Chen Chuan who watched events unfold from afar, within the company's compounds.

A dozen armed police officers and at least four special branch (SB) officers were present to monitor the sit-in. At one point of the sit-in one senior SB officer had announced into the police vehicle megaphone that the participants dispersed, else face police action.

" Tuan tuan dan puan puan, masa dah cukup. Tindakan akan diambil. Adik-adik yang duduk itu. sila bangun dan bersurai (Ladies and gentlemen, your time is up. Action will be taken. Those young ones who are sitting, please get up and disperse)," ordered the officer.

This was followed immediately by negotiations between the sit-in co-ordinators and the officer.

At the request of the police, security staff from Sin Chew relented and allowed a representative to hand over the memorandum. The handing over was done at the entrance of the main gate that was crammed with Sin Chew staff, security guards, students and newsmen.

Lit candles

At the same time, Sin Chew management responded with a statement.

"We wish to stress that the acquisition of Nyanyang Press Holdings Berhad does not involve Sin Chew Media Corporation," said the statement, signed by Sin Chew manager, Low Kon Sin.

It said the daily does not have any authority to accept any memorandum on behalf of Tiong, who is said to be abroad.

"... I am merely receiving the memorandum for the purposes of forwarding the same (memorandum relating to the acquisition of the two dailies) to Tan Sri Tiong," said the statement.

Students dispersed soon after, but not before placing lit candles in front of a mock cardboard tomb headstone which carried the words 'Press Freedom'.

When reporters approached Liew later for comments, he said, "This is my place. No comments."

While the sit-in did not block evening commuters coming in and out of SS2 and Section 17, traffic came to a crawl several times with drivers honking their support for the sit-in.