Malaysian Newspaper Forced to Shut Up

A tycoon snaps up Malaysia’s last independent daily newspaper

With national elections nearing, independent daily newspapering in Malaysia appears to be an endangered species with the recent purchase of the only unfettered English-language daily, The Sun, by controversial tycoon Vincent Tan, who reportedly has already begun to make distressing changes. Outspoken political editor Zainon Ahmad has been relegated to “consultant editor” and a new editor-in-chief, Chong Cheng Hai, replaced the respected Ho Kay Tat.

As an indication of how endangered the press is in Malaysia, the Bangkok-based Southeast Asian Press Alliance issued a statement on February 21 noting that two newspapers regarded as more critical than other mainstream media have not yet had their annual licenses renewed. Citing local sources, SEAPA said the two “have had to show a different slant after Parliament was dissolved on 13 February to make way for a general election on 8 March.”

Like all newspapers in Malaysia, the two, the Tamil-language Makkal Osai and the Chinese Oriental Daily, risk losing their licenses if they criticize the government too strongly. "We are concerned that the requirement for a publication permit has been effective in silencing critical voices and controlling any attempt for editorial independence,” SEAPA said in its statement.

A local political blog, Screenshots, edited by Jeff Ooi, reported that at a dinner on the eve of the Lunar New Year attended by Selangor Chief Minister Khir Toyo, a representative of the new owners of the Sun told staff that all criticism of Khir and his government had to stop, including instances of poor governance in Selangor State, the territory surrounding the Kuala Lumpur federal territory, and notably the suburbs of Petaling Jaya, Ampang Jaya and Subang Jaya.

The Sun’s deputy news editor and columnist R Nadeswaran told Asia Sentinel in a telephone interview: “No one is going to boss me around,” adding that as far as he knows there has been no change in editorial policy. However, he acknowledged that in a meeting with Khir, “accusations were thrown around” but declined to elaborate. He also said he has no plans to leave the paper.

Jed Yoong. ASIA SENTINEL
Posted by Raja Petra
Malaysia Today
Saturday, 23 February 2008