This is because Ling’s next step after getting rid of Ah Lek and Jui Meng as Huaren trustees is to get rid of them and their followers from the MCA leadership and the party altogether.
There is no reason why Ah Lek and Jui Meng should resign as Huaren trustees even if they voted against the ratification of the illegal RM230 million MCA takeover of Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press at the meeting of the board of Huaren trustees today, until a MCA extraordinary general meeting is held to decide on whether the MCA should respect the wishes of the Chinese community to relinquish all stakes in Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press.
The issue of the MCA takeover of the Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press has become an acid test as to whether the MCA is with or against the Chinese community on the question of preservation of an indepedent, free and responsible Chinese-language mass media, completely free of any political party ownership or control, so that the legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese community and in particular Chinese education, as well as the larger national objectives of a free press, human rights and democracy, could be promoted unfettered.
When the MCA leadership led by its president is prepared to go against the legitimate aspirations of the Chinese community that the two Chinese newspapers should be free from any political party ownership, then it is time for the MCA divisions, branches, delegates and ordinary members to all stand up all over the country to save not only the MCA, but the legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese community from being trampled upon by the present MCA leadership.
(14/6/2001)