I'm writing to express my outrage at MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik's sacking of Chua Jui Meng in as the Kedah MCA state chief. I think it is extremely important that the Chinese community wake up and realise that an injustice has been done and that Ling's efforts to hold on to power are becoming tasteless, if not undemocratic. Such measures to cling to power give tarnishes MCA's image and, in turn, gives everyone who has ever cast an MCA vote a bit of that same taint.

The takeover of Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press should have pressed home the message that Ling not only wanted to control information and political decisions but also to unethically strengthen his political and economic stranglehold on MCA.

Another issue related issue I have to speak up on is the way the media is handling this news. I am currently overseas and the Internet is where I get news about Chua's sacking. I have since visited the websites of The Star and New Straits Times. And detailed news about this matter is virtually non-existent - of course, why wouldn't it be?

At this point, it becomes even clearer how Ling's success at buying up Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press can affect one's political judgment. The absence of news that depicts Ling in a bad light will obviously lead to many readers being ignorant of his poor performance, if any. Readers of The Star - and by now undoubtedly the two Chinese dailies - are generally being manipulated, knowingly or unknowingly, by Ling.

Yes, the Chinese newspapers used to be a great source for independent news. But as we all know now, even that is being challenged. And with Ling's media wing growing, so, too, will his ability to counter newspapers like The Sun and malaysiakini.

People who are outraged by the recent cowardice of our supposed Chinese leader should promote the seeking of reliable news sources. Tell people about sites like this. Send e-mail urging the search for reliable news sources. We owe it to each other to promote a better informed citizenry. We didn't even need a cowardly sacking to realise this - the buying up of Nanyang and China Press was already a direct threat to our right to fair information. The recent scandal should, however, give us more resolve to act.