Changes at SPH

Singapore Press Holdings will finally see the passing of the baton of its top editorial post after nearly two decades.

Newspaper doyen Cheong Yip Seng (left) will step down in January after 43 years with the group, and 19 years as the Editor-in-Chief of the English and Malay Newspapers Division or EMND. EMND covers the flagship The Straits Times, The Business Times and Berita Harian.

Mr Cheong's retirement was expected. But the choice of his successor -- Patrick Daniel (right), Managing Editor of EMND and former BT Editor -- was somewhat of a surprise. Some had expected ST Editor Han Fook Kwang to be elevated to the top post.

Will there be more changes further down the road? Nobody knows for sure but one sign came from Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who had publicly noted that many journalists rooted for the Opposition in the previous election in May.

'So it's not bad. It's a strong mandate, considering how strongly people wanted an opposition, some young people, and how strongly many journalists rooted for the Opposition.'
MM Lee said on 4 May 2006 after the People's Action Party secured a winning margin of 66.6 per cent