Syabas to Mr James Wong for his opinion piece 'Of backroom operatives and a dramatic EGM in MCA' (June 18).

If Dr Liong Liong Sik really did study Sun Tzu's The Art Of War , it would appear that his effort was in vain. His ham-fisted handling of the Nanyang affair is symptomatic of a leader bent on political suicide and destroying his own army. He is no philosopher-general; he's more like a recalcitrant brute-sergeant.

In The Art Of War , Chapter III:

There are three ways in which a ruler can bring misfortune upon his army:

1) By commanding the army to advance or to retreat, being ignorant of the fact that it cannot obey. This is called hobbling the army.

2) By attempting to govern an army in the same way as he administers a kingdom, being ignorant of the conditions in an army. This causes restlessness in the soldier's minds.

3) By employing the officers of his army without discrimination, through ignorance of the military principle of adaptation to circumstances. This shakes the confidence of the soldiers.

But when the army is restless and distrustful, trouble is sure to come from the other feudal princes. This is simply bringing anarchy into the army, and flinging victory away.

A question, Mr MCA president: Is the battle worth it if you win it only to find that you are going to lose the war?

Another quote: The Art Of War , Chapter I :

The Moral Law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.

In the present crises in the MCA, do you think the Moral Law is with you?

While you play your stupid games of one-upmanship the MCA is haemorrhaging.

The ultimate lesson of Sun Tzu is: Victory is nothing if what you conquer is a broken country and the population despise you and is not with you.