Chinese daily ‘Sin Chew Daily’ disenchanted with DAP

KUALA LUMPUR: Major Chinese dailies’ war of words with DAP continues with the latest row against Sin Chew Daily, in which the party is said to have accused the newspaper of being “morally depraved” and “manipulated by Barisan Nasional”.

In response, Sin Chew lambasted DAP for resorting to “smearing tactics” and “baseless allegations” against its editorial.

Sin Chew Daily Editorial Desk, in a statement yesterday, said DAP’s alleged reactionary stance stemmed from a letter it received on Sunday from Sin Chew Daily deputy executive editor-in-chief Tay

Tian Yan, who wrote on his “disenchantment” with the socialist party.

“On Sunday, Tay penned down his expectations for DAP, expressing in a sentimental way how he went from supporting the party to feeling totally disenchanted by it. While the words were a depiction of his personal feelings, they nevertheless also reflected how many others felt. Unfortunately, Tay’s article was reciprocated with a letter from DAP secretary-general’s office titled ‘DAP has never let anyone down!’ in an attempt to demonise Tay and Sin Chew Daily, as how the party would normally do to its rivals,” the statement said.

Sin Chew expressed regret over the response, and has called on DAP to be more open to criticism rather than shutting doors for a rational exchange.

“While we welcome the letter from DAP secretary-general’s office to have a rational communication with us, we do hope that it will continue to adopt a more magnanimous and open-minded attitude instead of resorting to dirty smearing tactics, and making baseless allegations that the local Chinese language media are ‘morally depraved’ for being manipulated by BN.

“Such defamatory and slanderous accusations will not only demonise Sin Chew Daily, but have also denied all the efforts and hard work we have put in over the past 88 years in serving the local Chinese community. It is a great pity that DAP has opted to shut the door of rational communication behind it.”

Proclaiming the paper’s pursuit in upholding journalistic ethics and obligations towards the Chinese community, Sin Chew said it hoped for DAP to look into the matter in good faith.

“Repeated oppression and illintentioned slanders are neither part of the democratic pursuits of our diverse Malaysian society, nor the wish of millions of Chinese Malaysians.

“Such behaviour will only delight those who embrace ethnic, cultural and religious bigotry.”

Repeated oppression and ill-intentioned slanders are neither part of the democratic pursuits of our diverse Malaysian society, nor the wish of millions of Chinese Malaysians.