I refer to Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's statement televised over RTM2's prime time news on Saturday, that he finally believed the truth of the claim that George Soros funded malaysiakini, following the turnover of its ex-employee Chong Yen Long by confessing 'the truth' to national news agency Bernama.

I almost wanted to believe that Pak Lah would be a different man. I was proud that he exercised his prerogative as Home Minister to allow malaysiakini access to functions. I was giving my thumbs up to this man who has been indicating that he might dare to be different. Did he finally succumb to pressure from his minions including Zainuddin Maidin?

It is another slide downwards on the slippery slope of hope for change.

What Chong confessed is nothing new. The information has even been in malaysiakini for about a month now. Could the new heat from Pak Lah be due to malaysiakini's relentless crusade about free press, the latest being the censorship of Asiaweek and Far Eastern Economic Review?

I cannot see the dailies rallying support for malaysiakini. Let us think of providing whatever support we can to malaysiakini and beat the heat. Can we send our ideas somewhere on this?