I read with interest Eileen Kong's letter, 'Paper takeover by MCA? Big deal!' (May 23). While there are several points in her letter that I would agree with, there are also others that would seem to suggest her lack of understanding concerning the subject matter, if the sentiments expressed in Kong's letter are genuine and she is indeed an MCA member as claimed.

"What is wrong with MCA making money?" she asks. Nothing, there is nothing wrong with a political party seeking to accumulate funds for its political activities.

In some countries, political parties organise events such as fund-raisers to raise money. In Malaysia, political parties show a preference for the business world.

As long as everything is done above board and within the boundaries of law, political parties - like the MCA - should be allowed to engage in business activities.

But Kong also contends that the MCA needs more control of the media to enable the party to 'negotiate' more effectively with the likes of Umno.

While this statement, in itself, may be true in the political sense, Kong's use of it contradicts an earlier statement of hers in which she describes the proposed takeover of Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press as "a normal business deal", echoing Datuk Seri Dr Ling Liong Sik.

If it is indeed a normal business deal, then why the need to justify MCA's extension of its control over the Chinese press?

Moreover, anyone who has worked in the media would know that the editorial content and policies of a newspaper are heavily influenced by its owners. This is not unique to Malaysia as the same is true for the rest of the world.

Why does malaysiakini appear to be so heavily biased against the establishment? Because the site, in its own words, was created by journalists unhappy with what they deem as one-sided news coverage (by the mainstream media) and the lack of press freedom in the country.

While Huaren Holdings can be deemed as a purely business concern, it is widely known that the company is the investment arm of the MCA.

Therefore, regardless of whether The Star is a purely business concern (as Kong puts it), MCA is able to exert its influence over The Star - if and when it needs to - via Huaren, which is the newspaper's largest shareholder.

Finally, I have a suggestion for Kong if she indeed is an MCA member and therefore, I suppose, a person with political aspirations of her own.

Insulting people by calling them 'losers' and 'communists' will get you nowhere, not only in politics, but also in life as well.