I have to write to defend malaysiakini after reading both of Dawud's letters, Malaysiakini 'a poison' to country and The losers in Malaysiakini. To use his terms, I cannot allow him to go unchallenged.

As a Malaysian residing overseas for the last decade and having access to the mainstream newspapers, I find malaysiakini's news reporting thought provoking and, I suspect, more truthful. It reports on issues that the mainstream media for some reason dares not go into. On numerous instances where the mainstream media gave only a scant mention, malaysiakini's reporting was more in-depth, objective and fair, allowing its readers to make up their own minds topical issues.

It would appear that Dawud would prefer to have the media under the control of the government reporting only on issues that the authority in power would like the public to know. The media should indeed give due credit to any authority for delivering good governance but it should not be shy to report on issues that reflect poorly on the authority.

It is here that the mainstream media in Malaysia fails badly. It is this vacuum that malaysiakini attempts to position itself. I think it is doing an admirable job under the circumstances.

Democracy thrives on a robust debate on any issue of public interest. An easily accessible medium for this discussion to take place is the 'Letters to the Editor' section of any newspaper. A media which provides access to all diverse points of view contributes towards the progression of any society. I am utterly disappointed that Dawud, as a Brit, fails to recognise this.

For Dawud to suggest malaysiakini is mischievous in hindering progress for the benefit of all and for allowing diverse opinion to be published, implies that the Malaysians are still an immature lot who cannot handle a robust debate, who are still unsophisticated and have to be told what is right and wrong. What a colonial altitude that is!

Malaysiakini differs from the mainstream media in that the latter understandably has to work under various constraints. The thought of losing a publishing licence is enough deterrent to bring one into line with the authority.

Any media has, of course, to be responsible and not blatantly use is power to incite hatred and disharmony among the citizens of the country. I do not believe malaysiakini, in its openness, has overstepped this threshold.