Does MCA's 'pom-pom girls' trick still work ?

Getting or forcing a few 'prominent Chinese business leaders' and licensed Chinese-language newspapers as generators or inducers of public opinion to support the power-that-be is not new in this part of the world. However, with the proliferation of alternative Chinese news portals, websites and blogs, I seriously doubt it still works as effectively as the 'Overseas Chinese Association' (OCA) during the period of Japanese Occupation or the Cukong System in Suharto's Indonesia even though they are now described by Umno's mouthpiece New Straits Times as "influential".

Many younger Chinese Malaysians now also read alternative or foreign websites in English or Bahasa Malaysia. In fact, many elderly Chinese retirees in their 60s or even early 70s have also learned to operate the Internet to obtain alternative news and views.

So, again, what is new? what is the news?

p/s: A previous entry Spokesmen for 'silent majority' ? (23 March, 2006), although written in a different context and with another target in mind, may help to enhance even better understanding of the trick:

Dear Tai Soh: when there is no statistical or numerical proof, anyone - politicians, journalists, writers or speakers alike- who boostfully claims to be speaking or writing on behalf or for 'the silent majority' on particular issues is usually and essentially a charlatan or swindler, whether they play golf or wear gold watch or not.

The idea of claiming to speak on behalf or for 'the silent majority' is to make other accept his or her arguments by the logic of( imaginary) force, not force of logic, or to make one's opponents in a debate feel isolated, lonely or marginalised. The reality may be that it is the one who speaks for or on behalf of 'the silent majority' who is the more isolated, lonely or marginalised guy.

If these 'spokesmen for the silent majority' are publicly challenged to produce statistical or numerical proof of their claim, the typical response would be silence (hoping other would forget their bullshits) or the non-arguments of 'you are arrogant' or 'don't I have the right to free speech?'

malaysiakini (Chinese edition)
http://www.malaysiakini.com/cn

Merdeka Review
http://www.merdekareview.com

Lee Ban Chen (Trilingual Chinese educationist)
http://leebanchen.blogspot.com/

Lai Teo Kuan (Trilingual former Opposition state assemblyman)
http://tklai.blogspot.com/

The Road Not Taken
http://lihkang1.blogspot.com/

Penang Media
http://www.penangmedia.com/

And hundreds of other ...