(Petaling Jaya, Sunday): If the MCA deputy president Datuk Lim Ah Lek and vice president Datuk Chua Jui Meng are right that the MCA¡¯s RM230 million takeover of Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press by its investment arm Huaren Holdings Sdn Bhd is unlawful, null and void in contravening Article 150 of the MCA constitution, then the MCA extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on June 24 cannot cure the transaction of its illegality.
This would mean that the sale and purchase agreement for the Nanyang Press Holdings by Huaren on May 28 can be of no effect, and any sale and purchase agreement can only come into force after June 24, assuming that the MCA EGM summoned by MCA President, Datuk Seri Dr. Ling Liong Sik approves such a deal.
It would indeed be most tragic if the 2,500 MCA delegates attending the MCA EGM on June 24 cannot understand the depth and strength of the opposition of the Chinese community to MCA takeover of Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press, and are prepared to endorse the attempts by Ling to gobble up the two Chinese national dailies even if this should imperil the livelihood of the over a thousand workers in Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press should it suffer the fate of the previous MCA-owned newspaper Tung Bao.
This is the time for the 2,500 MCA delegates to show that they have more foresight and have a greater sense of responsibility than the MCA President and his faction, and that they are prepared to put the interests of the Chinese community, Chinese education, press freedom in Malaysia, human rights and democracy above party or factional interests.
Let the MCA EGM on June 24 be a significant milestone in the history of press freedom and human rights, in striking the first blow for a national awareness and campaign to dilute and end political party ownership of the mass media in the country to bring about a free, independent and responsible press in Malaysia.
(17/6/2001)