We refer to Ng Boon Hooi's 'Stop trumpeting Utar, tackle Damansara school issue, MCA urged' (July 9).

No doubt, much still remains to be done by MCA in getting more allocation for Chinese primary schools and re-opening of SJK (C) Damansara, but this does not mean that MCA has no cause to rejoice or trumpet the fulfillment of a 30-year-old dream of setting up Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar)!

The motives of the government in approving Utar (whether to canvass Chinese support or strengthen cooperation within the BN coalition) does not matter.

What matters is that one more university means additional tertiary educational opportunities for the many students with excellent results who could not gain admission to existing local tertiary institutions. As Utar shall be opened to all races, with courses relevant to the needs of the nation, the whole nation and not just MCA or the Chinese community gains from it.

Even as non-MCA members, we are shocked to see the photograph on page 4 of The Star on July 9, in which MCA party deputy president Lim Ah Lek, vice-presidents Datuk Chan Kong Choy and Datuk Chua Jui Meng remained seated whilst others stood up to give MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik (raising his fist in triumph) a standing ovation when he announced the approval of Utar in Ipoh.

Lim, Chan and Chua might disagree with Ling on the issue of Huaren's taking over Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press but they surely have no quarrel with him over the setting up of Utar.

Or did they remain seated because they did not want to be seen endorsing Dr Ling's scoring political points? This is not just about a victory for Dr Ling - there is no reason to reduce it to that personal level - it is supposed to be a victory for MCA, the Chinese community as well as the nation as a whole.

In the aftermath of Dr Ling's EGM victory over the Nanyang issue, at least he could muster the pretense of a magnanimous victor and call on both factions to close ranks. The other faction should at least respond by putting on the farce of being graceful in defeat since they claimed that their opposition was based on objective issues and not personal internecine power struggle.

The photograph showed otherwise.

Unless the photograph was misleading in the sense that:

1) they stood up to clap but quickly sat down faster than others who remained standing to applaud; or

2) they were too tired to stand up to applaud, but applauded as loud or louder than others even though seated; or

3) it is MCA's official protocol for the deputy president and vice-presidents to remain seated whilst other lesser functionaries stand to give support.

We respectfully submit that the indelible impression of the triumvirate, in remaining seated, from the public relations angle, was that they were not graceful enough to rise above personal antipathy to rejoice or applaud on an achievement of an issue that transcends Dr Ling's personal victory but represents a triumph and benefit for the whole MCA party, community and nation.