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Ho Kay Tat is now half a Group Editor-in-Chief and half a managing director for what he used to be, and the free(-of-charge) paper appears not free from editorial control.

According to The NST, the newspaper theSun displaced as the country's No. 2 largest circulation English daily, Berjaya Corporation Bhd executive director Chan Kien Sin has been appointed the managing director of theSun, while Editor Chong Cheng Hai was made acting editor-in-chief, taking over from Ho who held both posts previously.

Ho, however, remains the managing director and editor-in-chief of The Edge, at least for now.

Meanwhile, political editor Zainon Ahmad was appointed as the paper's consultant editor.

The announcements were made to theSun's senior executives and staff at two separate meetings yesterday by Ho, who also introduced Chan to the personnel.

Nexnews, which publishes the Edge and theSun, was made a subsidiary of Berjaya Corp following a takeover by tycoon Vincent Tan last Friday.

Tan's partner in Nexnews, Tong Kooi Ong, has called it quits after he sold all his shares for RM139.2 million, making Nexnews a 54.59% subsidiary of Berjaya.

Media circle said the staff at theSun were taken by surprise of the development.

According to The NST, quoting sources, said Ho had tried explaining to the worried staff why the paper had to be separated. However, a reporter at theSun was quoted as saying that there was no opportunity for staff to ask questions during the meetings as they were chasing deadlines.

The staff said: "Morale is still low, so what's the point of asking anyway? We will just wait and see."

Ho was quoted as having assured the staff that the separation had nothing to do with theSun's editorial content but it's about... ahmmm... "economic expediency on Tong's part".

The Star to buy into theSun. By the way, today has been declared the 'Buy No Newspapers, Buy No Lies" Tuesday by People's Parliament and the supporting community.

At the press conference yesterday, lawyer Haris Ibrahim spoke about how Vincent Tan's purchase of the Nexnews group confirms the politics-media nexus responsible for the suppression of press freedom in Malaysia.

Today, Rocky's Bru exposed that The Star is expected to announce soon the purchase of 30% of Nexnews, for between RM1.80 and RM2 per share. The plan is to place theSun under the control of the Star.

The Star's editorial bosses have been briefed, Rocky said.
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Are we moving down Jalan Singapura where the Englisgh press is duopoly-ed by two cartels?