KOTA KINABALU: A Chinese newspaper in Sabah has become the first to evolve into a trilingual news publication to keep up with changing times.

       Founded in 1976, Asia Times is welcoming the Lunar Year of the Tiger by expanding to provide English and Bahasa Malaysia in its daily edition.

       It is the first newspaper to undertake the move amid shrinking revenue and circulation faced by the print media here.

       The 16-page English and Bahasa section is dubbed Asia Times Pulse with its first edition published in tabloid form on Monday (Jan 17).

       Its chairman Datuk Tiong Tan Hua said Asia Times is well aware of the need to evolve constantly in meeting the needs of the times.

       One of those needs that is of great importance to the people is education, he said.

       “In Sabah and in Malaysia in general, the unique trilingual education system in the Chinese national-type schools and the Chinese independent secondary schools has produced many young talents who have proven themselves able to adapt exceptionally well to the development and needs of the new era,” he said.

       “Asia Times and Asia Times Pulse offer a fresh new experience in trilingual readership to this talent-packed generation and effectively contribute to the building of a more progressive society,” Tiong added.

       He said at its core, Asia Times continues to uphold the highest journalism standards and ethics.

       “We take pride in being the voice of the masses and providing fair and accurate coverage of the people’s hopes and expectations, as well as things that they count as blessings in life,” he said.