'I don't mind paying, but isn't TNP supposed to be free?'

An avid reader of The New Paper since 1988, 
who gave his name only as Mr Soh, said he went to his regular newsstand in Jurong West on Thursday.

There, he spotted copies of TNP being sold at 20 cents each. Mr Soh, who is in his early 50s, said: "I approached the vendor and told him, 'I don't mind paying, but isn't that supposed to be free?'. He told me he didn't know (about TNP being distributed free), as his boss didn't say anything about it. I paid 20 cents and left."

A spokesman for the Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) circulation division said they had been alerted to cases of newsstand selling free copies of TNP - at Jurong West and Serangoon Central.

The spokesman said: "We have reached out to the vendors. They told us that their newsstand operators were not aware that The New Paper had become free, hence they sold the copies. We have since advised their customers to subscribe with us, and counselled the vendors and their newsstand operators."

TNP editor Eugene Wee urged readers to alert SPH's circulation division if they spot people selling TNP. He said: "It's very unethical to sell TNP, which is being distributed free, and deprive others of the paper."

To get TNP delivered to your home, email circssp@sph.com.sg.