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Friday June 22
‘Nanyang was against us’: Dr M
Tong Yee Siong
9:56pm, Fri: Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today openly conceded that the government was “uncomfortable” with the previous management of Nanyang Press Holdings - the publisher of two major Chinese dailies - over its unfavourable reporting especially during the Lunas by-election.
“Nanyang has been against us. It has been highlighting the extremists’ views such as Suqiu’s during the Lunas by-election,” he told a press conference at the end of the second day of the 55th Umno General Assembly in Putra World Trade Centre.
“Is it wrong if a paper is more supportive of the government?” he asked.
However, Mahathir denied giving any directive to MCA to take over Nanyang Press which publishes dailies Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press.
“A directive is when I call MCA and tell them, ‘you go and buy’,” he said.
MCA investment arm Huaren Holdings acquired Nanyang Press in a controversial RM230 million deal late last month. Amidst criticism that the purchase was politically motivated, MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik assured the Chinese community that editorial independence would be upheld.
Green light
Yesterday, Ling was quoted in several Chinese dailies as saying that Mahathir had given him the green light for the purchase.
Nanyang and China Press were known to have reported extensively on several controversial issues involving the Chinese community when the Lunas by-election was held late last year in the northern state of Kedah.
Among the issues were the Vision School, Chinese lobby group Suqiu’s 17-point appeal to the government which allegedly called for the abolishment of bumiputras’ special privileges, and the closure of the Damansara Chinese primary school.
Subsequently, the opposition candidate from Keadilan won the Lunas by-election, a seat which was held by the ruling coalition since Merdeka. The victory also shattered Barisan Nasional’s two-thirds majority in the Kedah state assembly.
Mahathir said that he could not ask MCA not to purchase a newspaper company as opposition parties also have their own papers which are widely circulated among non-members.
“How would I know that the Chinese community will object to the takeover when the Malay community did not do this when we bought a paper,” he said without elaborating.
Running away
“I’m not sure if he is overseas or not. I saw him just before the general assembly and he told me then if he were to leave, people will say that he is running away. But Daim is not going to be arrested, there are no restrictions whatsoever,” he said.
When Mahathir was pressed by a foreign journalist for further comments on the matter, he snapped at him: “You are asking roundabout questions. This is what you are after, isn’t it? Is this what they teach you in journalism?”
He also dismissed an Umno delegate’s allegation at the general assembly earlier today that some party members are holding too many positions in public enterprises and that such posts should be distributed among more people.
“Some people are being directors for too many companies but Daim has limited the number of directorship one may hold. In fact, my son Mirzan quit from some companies,” he said.
Despite speculations that Daim’s resignation from all government and party posts in early June was the result of a rift between him and Mahathir, the former finance minister has kept mum on the issue.
It is believed that Daim left for London early this afternoon.
“Anything that I say now will be interpreted in one way or another to tarnish me. The point is, I can’t stop anyone from buying. If MCA asks, if Gerakan asks, I will say yes,” he added.
The prime minister was also asked whether he was aware that resigned Umno treasurer and finance minister Daim Zainuddin had left the country earlier today.
Last modified:Friday June 22, 10:09 pm
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