The Mahathir link in the matter becomes more pertinent when the Nanyang Siang Pau deputy chief editor Cheng Kee Chien has confirmed he will join the Prime Minister's Office as press secretary beginning next month.
Mahathir should explain whether it is government policy to force a change of ownership in the Nanyang Press, which is 70 per cent owned by Hume Industries, a member of the Hong Leong group, controlled by tycoon Quek Leng Chan as well as to decide who should be the new owner.
As media ownership has a great bearing on press freedom, there should be the fullest transparency both on government policy on the Nanyang Press ownership as well as the whole process of negotiations for any MCA takeover.
In the interest of ensuring a free, responsible and independent press to give substance to the fundamental liberties of freedom of speech and expression and a free press, the government should work towards the dilution and reduction of political party ownership of mass media in the country, starting with a policy to disallow the further concentration of political party media ownership such as the proposed MCA takeover of the two Chinese national newspapers.
(19/5/2001)