It is almost time for the second phase of the nation-wide campaign to oppose the MCA take-over of Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press, which is to compel MCA to spit out what it had swallowed, as the MCA takeover of the two dailies must be regarded as unacceptable and intolerable threats to the legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese community, in particular Chinese education, and to democracy, freedom of expression and a free press in the larger Malaysian context.
But the first phase of the campaign to prevent the MCA gobbling of two Chinese newspapers is not completely over yet, as the deal has not yet been signed (the deadline is 4pm on Thursday, May 31), and the deal can still be undone by the MCA Central Committee which meets at the MCA Headquarters tomorrow.
The question is whether there are enough MCA national leaders and Central Committee members who are prepared to put the interests of the Chinese community and the nation above MCA party and factional interests and respond to the overwhelming opposition of the Chinese society by taking a vote to reject the deal for the MCA to acquire Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press.
Even if the battle at the MCA Central Committee is lost, the question is whether there are enough righteous MCA national and state leaders to take the fight to uphold the interests and rights of the Chinese community and Chinese education as well as the Malaysian causes for press freedom, human rights and democracy to the various MCA state conventions and the MCA Annual General Meeting on August 11, 2001.
(29/5/2001)