The letter by Egghead entitled 'MCA leaders, know your role!' (June 16) quoted a statement from the MCA Wanita chief: "The Chinese community objects the takeover due to the lack of confidence in MCA but if MCA were to give up the takeover, then where is the dignity of the party?"

The MCA leader even questioned, "Is the Chinese community leading MCA or is MCA leading the Chinese community?"

It is this kind of mindset that has got MCA to where it is now? She mustn't blame anyone but ask Dr Ling Liong Sik and company to take responsibility for this mess.

As a concerned Malaysian and a member of the Pahlawan Volunteers, I would like to offer a perspective.

We warned and offered a detailed explanation in a Pahlawan statement that MCA has started a process of self-destruction of the party by taking over the Nanyang media group. Events following our statement have revealed much to confirm the fact that there is more to the MCA acquisition of Nanyang than what Ling and co have cared to tell his party in particular and Malaysians in general.

It has become very clear that the acquisition wasn't made to advance the interest of MCA as a party. The fact that a big group of MCA members throughout the country is mounting an anti-takeover roadshow shows that this understanding is now sinking in on them, and they are taking the implications of this deal on the future of their party very seriously.

This is good for MCA as a party, and its members must persist in their effort to save the party from being destroyed. If they don't keep up the effort to reverse the deal, then they are allowing the destruction to proceed. If that happens, perhaps the group that wants no part in this self-destruction should think about MCA 2.0.

A party without followers and supporters has only one way to go, i.e. down. A party going in that direction is one that has lost its relevance to the people; it shows how big the gap is between the interests of the leadership and its members, and the people. The leadership has to take responsibility for taking the party to that state, and own up to it.

As for what the MCA Wanita chief said about the dignity of the party, it sounds so absurd - nobody brought this up on MCA, it was Ling and co who offered to buy Nanyang and rushed the deal through. I think they should apologise to the nation for having "created the mess" that is wasting the productive energy of millions of Malaysians.

Malaysians are not aware of any urgency on the part of the original owners of Nanyang to sell, and the MCA leaders who wanted to buy. So who can they blame for their present predicament? If Ling and co. is capable of creating the mess, surely they have a exit strategy or a soft landing for their party's dignity!

On who is leading whom, if MCA listens to the community and allows itself to be led by the community's wishes, it can be assured of future support from the Chinese community; and a win-win situation will arise. The end result; the Chinese community is happy and MCA strengthens itself within Barisan Nasional.

If it is supposed to be MCA who leads the Chinese community as illustrated in the Nipah/Japanese Encephalitis tragedy, SJK (C) Damansara relocation, Chang Ming Tien fund, Nanyang takeover, etc., then the end result would be the party taking itself down and the Chinese community along with it.

Which option to take is obvious, and MCA's rank and file leadership should make sure such a message is understood by Ling and co. Choosing the right option is the only way to save the MCA's dignity and future.

Also, questioning whether the Chinese community is leading the MCA or vice versa only shows how arrogant and feudal this person's attitude is. Obviously the speaker is confused with her role, and not knowing who is the real boss in a democratised society. All self-respecting Malaysians take offence to such a statement. The speaker obviously disregarded the trust the people have given her. She also forgot from where her power and position came.

If MCA wants a future with the people and with the Chinese community, there is no room for leaders with this kind of attitude.

To any clear-thinking Malaysia, the Nanyang deal is a no-brainer. Any political party or any business group aligned or friendly to a political party taking over an independent media is plain wrong . Tracing the events gives a big picture that is very clear . It is not MCA, the Chinese community nor the nation's interest that is being promoted. It is Ling and co and the business interest of his 'friendly partner' in the Chinese media that is being advanced in the name of the people.

The only honorable thing to do now is to return Nanyang to a non-partisan group whose business is independent reporting. And MCA must return to its core business of politics.