The allegation and counter-allegation on whether the MCA-owned The Star newspaper is a toilet paper, are not only about press freedom and independence in Malaysia, it is also about the MCA-Gerakan rivalry.

As it is well-known now, Gerakan President Dr Lim Keng Yaik was once a MCA leader. After being sacked by the conservatives in MCA, he joined Gerakan which gave him a new lease of political life. With the entry of Lim, the originally multi-ethnic reformist Gerakan has been deformed and degenerated into a mini-MCA or a Chinese party.

There is virtually no more Malay Malaysian leaders in Gerakan. Indian Malaysians are just window-dressing.

In the process of competing with MCA for Umno's favour, Gerakan and Lim have thus far been a comical failure. Since Gerakan is unable to buy up newspapers, it is envious of MCA's success. The impotent bitterness is transformed into uncultured invective, so characteristic of Lim who once dreamt of becoming an MCA president in the early 1970s.

Without a strong nation-wide base, Gerakan has to play the role of trouble-shooter for Umno. It is used to defeat the opposition for democracy and human rights, as well as to weaken MCA. Other than these dual role of Umno's mercenary, Gerakan has actually no more meaningful role in Malaysian politics. Gerakan is irrelevant except as a Chinese department of Umno.