MCA, the second largest political party in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, was warned today that its bid to monopolise the Chinese media would result in "committing political suicide".

"MCA leaders are literally asking the party to pay RM230 million to bury the party," said a citizen group called Pahlawan Volunteers in a statement.

Signed by two of its committee members, Pat Lu and Foong Wai Foong, Pahlawan expressed its outrage against the recent takeover of two major Chinese dailies Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press by MCA, which until yesterday was owned by tycoon Quek Leng Chan's Hume Industries.

Pahlawan runs a current affairs discussion group on the Internet and organised a number of web-based activities which include the Visit Malaysia Cyber e-cards campaign to promote Malaysia as a tourist destination.

Power structure

Foong said the takeover of the media by political parties other than those aligned to the ruling coalition would not be allowed.

"Malaysians know that ownership of the media business has never been free from political influence as the business is strategic to the Malaysian power structure," she said.

"It will not get pass the 'immigration check point' if a foreigner or parties aligned to the opposition propose to take over loss-making New Straits Times ."

She added that Nanyang Press, which publishes the two Chinese dailies and 14 other publications, had played a very important role in the Chinese community by providing both monetary and moral support.

"To date (78-year-old) Nanyang raised RM180 million to support the Chinese education system. Without this effort, many facilities cannot be expanded to accommodate the Chinese schools' fast increasing population.

"The Nanyang Press group were the first to spearhead fund-raising for the victims of the Nipah crisis, and to support the efforts of Pahlawan Volunteers to bring in experts from Taiwan to deal with the virus," Foong said.

The deadly virus outbreak, which occurred two years ago, killed over 100 people, mostly those involved in the pig farming industry in Negri Sembilan.

Done deal

Yesterday, MCA's investment arm Huaren Management signed the deal to buy Nanyang Press for RM230 million in cash.

The takeover has drawn opposition from within the party including deputy president Lim Ah Lek and senior vice-president Chua Jui Meng, both of whom voted against the deal at the party's central committee meeting on Thursday.

Foong also claimed that Quek was forced to sell Nanyang to MCA. "All evidence surrounding the deal shows Quek was asked to sell."

She also lambasted Chinese daily Sin Chew Jit Poh , which was rumoured to be involved in the takeover of its Nanyang rivals, for not taking a stand on the controversy. However, Sin Chew has denied the rumour.

" Sin Chew 's behaviour in this saga has turned its mission statement 'Integrity above all' on its head," said Foong.

"The right thing to do now is ... to stop reading, buying and advertising in Sin Chew 's group of publications."