In 1980, chief editor Seah Chiang Nee announced the proposed launch of a new English-language broadsheet daily newspaper in 1981.
[1] Sin Chew Daily had a 26 percent stake in the newspaper[2] and had planned to construct new buildings at Genting Lane, Singapore, to house both the Singapore Monitor and Chinese newspaper Nanyang Siang Pau.
[2] In 1982, in a revamp of the press by the government, Sin Chew Daily and Nanyang Siang Pau merged into a single holding company and as a single company, held 52 percent of Singapore Monitor while the remaining 48 percent held by United Overseas Bank, OUB and Development Bank of Singapore equally.
[3] Singapore Monitor will hold the afternoon newspaper market with the transfer of the title New Nation and its Sunday title Sunday Nation from The Straits Times from 1 May onwards, lasting up to one year for a nominal fee of $10,000.
[3][4][5] As a result of the transfer of titles, Singapore Monitor will not compete in the morning newspaper market with The Straits Times for three years.