Encouraging debate in a democracy

Reason: Any media, be it mainstream or Internet, that is perceived to be critical of the Barisan Nasional government has to expect something like this, or worse, to happen. Official double-standard practices are well-known, although they are hardly spoken about in public.

But malaysiakini, Malaysia's first and truly independent internet news portal, is special - it has proven to be sustainable, in spite of obvious occasional pressure from the powers that be, and is enjoying growing public support which for certain does not bring great comfort to some politicians in power.

It may be the doing of Umno Youth which had triggered off, finally, the police raid; but the displeased crowd include non-Malay politicians, especially those in the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) who might have felt they have been shoddily treated in the war of words between Team A led by MCA chief Dr Ling Liong Sik and Team B led by his deputy, Lim Ah Lek.

Even some sections of the mainstream media should also not be discounted as possibly in the displeased group of people who would love to see malaysiakini disappear from the scene.

Part of Malaysian life

But malaysiakini has become as much a part of the Malaysian life, quenching the thirst not just for news, but news of an independent nature that looks at both sides of the coin.

Malaysiakini should not be blamed for taking advantage of the gap, and it has not acted in a manner that could not be said to be highly responsible in journalism.

Its numerous articles that have appeared o­n the website since it appeared three years ago deal with issues of the day, be it political, economic, cultural or social; its growing readership can o­nly suggest that when something is missing from the mainstream media, people turn to other sources which they feel provide the best and most independent sources of information.

Although in Sarawak and in Sabah the number of people who do access malaysiakini is still small compared with peninsular Malaysia, nevertheless the news portal is regarded as an important source of independent news and information.

A veteran newsman in Sabah who asked not to be quoted said Monday's police raid smacks not o­nly of a double-standard practice in dealing with complaints of similar nature, but also demonstrates unequivocally the fears of some politicians in power over unstoppable criticisms against certain BN government policies.

There is nothing sinister in anyone pointing out if certain government policies are not doing anyone any good if they remain unamended, for the chances are they will do more harm than good to the very people that policies are supposed to be directed at or addressed.

More harm than good

If a government is unable to accept criticism and prefers to suppress opposite views, then bad policies will remain and this will do this country more harm than good in the long run.

In a democracy, government must listen, and not to take punitive action against critics in the name of the law of protecting racial equilibrium.

Most people that malaysiakini spoke to in Kuching and Kota Kinabalu figure that the authorities might have over-reacted unnecessarily to the publication of the offending letter in the website.

"In the course of events, all Umno Youth has to do is reply to the letter and defend the position with regard to certain privileges accorded to certain communities," o­ne local politician in Kuching said.

"Let the readers be the judge. Debate is something healthy that should be encouraged," he added. "We seem to be speaking with two tongues when we say we believe in o­ne thing and actually do another."

There are varying standards of press freedom in Asia. It would have been different if the mainstream media were the o­nly o­nes to exist to dominate the scene. But since the advent of information technology, specifically Internet news publishers, the way news and information is conveyed to readers has changed a lot.

There is not o­nly a lot more information, but such news and information can be collected and distributed around so quickly and so efficiently.

Valuable source

This has no doubt hampered the authorities' ability to manage the distribution of news and information in the way they always want to. And malaysiakini has contributed much to the change in Malaysia, and it is something that some sections of the government cannot as yet adjust to.

Admittedly, there are other sections of the government that would find independent news portals like malaysiakini a most valuable source of news, information and opinion.

Therefore, how Malaysia will move from here and what malaysiakini's future will be will depend more o­n those in the authorities o­n how they see the importance of Malaysians having access to independent news portals like malaysiakini.

If they see every little thing that is critical of any branch of the government or the actions of some leaders in the ruling party or of any community as a threat to the own political fortunes, then there is little room in this country for the kind of a press that countries like India, Thailand and Hongkong take a great deal of pride in.