opinion

Politicians must understand that their actions if badly conceived or do not synchronise with the aspirations of the rakyat , can be perilous for generations. A shady business deal though sealed in the name of national pride may eventually become a national shame if the deal merely benefits the politicians but handicaps the rakyat .

At the end of the day, workers, who make up the backbone of the nation, will have to pay the price for the follies of their masters. And where politicians and businessmen are linked like skin to bones, every political decision affects business and every business deal is politically motivated.

If the deal is a success, the business-linked politicians, or cronies as they are popularly known, will shout for joy. If the deal turns sour, the workers bear the burden of uncertainties, restructuring, possible shutdowns, change of management and benefits. Their masters can just wash their hands off, dust their feet, sell their shares and leave the country.

The purchase of Nanyang Press Holdings, which owns two independent Chinese dailies Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press , by MCA's investment arm Huaren Holdings, is not only a blow to press freedom but has the potential to become hazardous to its staff.

Both Nanyang and China Press employ a workforce of nearly 2,000 and the imminent boycott by Chinese guilds, readers, writers, non-governmental organisations, political parties - in short, a big portion of the Chinese-speaking and -reading community - could result in the paper's bankruptcy.

Once news of the RM230 million deal hit the streets, editors and journalists of the two affected papers protested by wearing yellow ribbons. Many of their colleagues in other newspapers, both mainstream and alternative, joined them in solidarity. Journalists knew that they could no longer be impartial, and that their stories, especially those which favoured the opposition, will suffer censorship.

Whatever may be said about the credibility of mainstream newspapers or the mental paralysis of its journalists, there are many of them who will fight tooth and nail to bring the truth to their readers. However, most censorship occurs at the top-most level and this is beyond every sensible, truthful, hardworking journalist or editor.

Losing support

It is a popular belief that MCA can no longer stomach dissident opinions due to its losing support - it fears further erosion of support as the 2004 general elections draw nigh.

MCA's takeover of the two Chinese dailies is believed to be a 'revenge tactic' over Barisan Nasional's loss in the Lunas by-election last year. During that episode the two newspapers were said to have given neutral coverage to both opposition and the government on Chinese-related issues such as the right to mother-tongue education. These so-called neutral reports were said to have eventually led to BN's downfall.

Before the deal was inked, a demonstration opposing the deal was held outside Wisma MCA in Kuala Lumpur, by Barisan Alternatif. An equal number of MCA representatives were also there to back the deal. The protest eventually turned ugly and punches flew between an MCA member of parliament (from Ipoh Barat) and an onlooker who happened to be a student visiting the book fair at the premises.

FRU personnel and police officers who were monitoring the rally caught hold of the boy instead and tried to arrest him. The 'hooligan' MP got away, feigned innocence and even claimed that he was punched first and did not start the fight. Photos taken by an English daily clearly proved that he was involved in the fist fight. Both parties eventually lodged police reports.

MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik tried to convince people that the purchase of the two dailies was a normal business deal and that the party will not influence or interfere with the dailies' editorial policy. Ling and his loyalists, such as Ong Ka Ting and Chor Chee Heung, have been conducting roadshows nationwide to explain the deal to their grassroots. Some were convinced, some weren't.

Ling's nemeses vice-president Lim Ah Lek, Chua Jui Meng and Chan Kong Choy, have been conducting similar roadshows. Gerakan, a partner of the ruling BN, joined the bandwagon and condemned Ling's 'autocratic' behaviour.

Gerakan has every reason to 'jump'. Its president, Dr Lim Keng Yaik, recently revealed that his party had had bad experiences with The Star , another MCA-controlled paper. A former Star journalist has also [#1] written [/#] in to malaysiakini to reveal concerted efforts to sideline Penang Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon, and those from the anti-Ling faction such as Lim Ah Lek. Lim Keng Yaik's conclusion summed it all: "Ling assurances (of non-interference) are not very assuring".

Boycott launched

To date, over 40 Chinese business organisations and 90 writers have decided to boycott the two newspapers. The boycott was launched last week at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall. Political parties are also backing the boycott; PAS in its recent annual general assembly even passed such a resolution.

This boycott threat is no plaything as history, or rather, the Chinese community, has proven in the early 1990s that the utter dislike of an MCA-controlled paper will lead to that particular daily folding up. Tong Bao , or as it was earlier known Thung Pau , was taken over by MCA in 1984. The Chinese boycotted the paper and due to poor readership and the lack of advertisements, the paper folded up.

The same scenario occurred when Umno took over the helm of a Chinese daily called Shin Min Daily in the early 1980s. Readership plummeted, advertisements stopped coming in and finally 'a pure business deal' had to be abandoned.

As in the MCA-Nanyang deal - who suffers at the end of it all? Who bears the shackles and carries the burden?

The 2,000 workers who toil day and night to bring in the latest news so that Malaysians can keep up to date with the world will finally have to pay the price for the "uncontrollable greed" of their masters.

One can blame those individuals or organisations participating in the boycott campaign, but consumers have the right not to buy a product if it does not serve its purpose, or worst still, if the product is detrimental to their well-being.

The owners, realising this, must make amends and heed the concerns of their consumers. Businessmen must respect market trends or be prepared for an inevitable onslaught, which is, the inevitable loss of business.

At the end of the day, sand is thrown into the journalists [#2] 'rice bowls' [/#] not because of internal politicking but because of a 'political force' beyond control.

Family obligations

Unfortunately, it is the journalists' stomachs that would have to go hungry. It is easy to [#3] say [/#] "leave and find another job" but how many can do that? There are family obligations, bills to pay, not to mention sentiments, loyalty and pride in their workplace. The affected journalists have come out to say "punish MCA or Huaren, not us" but the damage is done; both parties, the ones who backed the sale and the protesters, are equally stubborn in maintaining their stand.

There is very little these journalists can do now. For the unlucky ones, a poem:

"The mind is an infinite sky

and hearts have wings

but very few wish to fly

some become boulders

trapped on mountain tops

when laden with snow

they fall

the tongue is a river

that flows into the ocean

follow the tide

and you will sail

fight against it and you will drown."