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Alert

Alarmed by near-monopoly control over Chinese-language press, groups call for reform of media laws

(SEAPA/IFEX) - A recent ownership change to a near-monopoly of the top four Chinese dailies in Malaysia has galvanised 47 diverse civil society organisations and opposition political parties to jointly demand a review of the laws to ensure media independence and plurality.

On 9 October 2006, the political party Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) sold 21.02 percent of its shares in Nanyang Press Holdings to Ezywood Options, a company owned by local tycoon Tiong Hiew King.

Nanyang Press publishes the "Nanyang Siang Pau" and "China Press", while Tiong owns Nanyang's rival, Sin Chew Media Corporation, which publishes the largest circulated Chinese-language newspaper, "Sin Chew Daily", and "Guang Ming Daily".

The deal will leave Tiong with a 44.76 percent stake each in both companies, with the MCA retaining 23.38 percent in Nanyang Press. The MCA is the second-most dominant party in the ruling coalition.

"That all top four Chinese dailies are now concentrated in the hand of a [political]-business alliance is detrimental to press freedom and democratic space in Malaysia," read the 19 October petition endorsed by the 47 protesting groups.

"It will not only help increase news control by the Internal Security Ministry, but may also allow the controlling business interest to sideline certain social issues, and even to subdue civil society organisations," they said.

The groups count among themselves media freedom advocates, civil and human rights groups, opposition political parties, independent media organisations, indigenous and rural community groups, artists, migrant rights groups, women's rights groups, environment groups, parent-teacher associations, a business association, youth associations and student rights groups.

They are demanding:

a. That a Parliamentary Select Committee review all media-related laws and introduce reforms, such as the repeal of the Printing Presses and Publications Act and the introduction of anti-monopoly clauses.
b. That both parties in the controversial transaction relinquish their shares to non-partisan interests.
c. That society support the Nanyang Press journalists "who are now more vulnerable than ever to the threats of lay-off and political interference."

SEAPA shares the concerns of the groups and finds it reprehensible that MCA chief Ong Ka Ting has sidestepped the issue of a near-monopoly in the Chinese newspaper industry. "By divesting, isn't this what the community wants to see?" Ong said in a press conference announcing the sale, blithely ignoring the fact that the buyer is the owner of Nanyang Press' rival.

Following this transaction, 85 percent of the Chinese press in circulation, or some 844,580 copies a day, will be under Tiong's control.