I would like to respond to Ms Noor Farida Ariffin's letter ('Rumour-mongers drove AG out of her job', Nov 27). It would appear that Her Excellency Noor Farida had written the letter in her personal capacity as there is nothing in the letter to indicate her formal title as our ambassador to the Netherlands.

Her comments nevertheless could be taken as concerns of an 'insider'.

In perusing the writer's laments, I cannot help the impression that she forgets that the rest of the rakyat, philistines and minions among us would not have any kind of access to the right information for the very simple reason that there is no transparency in governance.

We are held ransom to rumours and conjectures, oft times the making of civil servants and politicians themselves. The rest of us who would never get to hobnob with the 'right people' or be drawn to the 'right circles' in government intrigue would not have the information that someone in the writer's position would easily command.

The writer who has worked the ranks from the legal service commission and has served this government in various capacities in several ministries, also knows who the "real crooks" are.

Indeed if insiders are unable to change the decaying institutions of this country for a number of reasons, then information and assistance to the rakyat becomes crucial in order that we may be better informed of the real situation in order that support can be mustered in the interest of justice and democracy. We have nothing to lose in this.

The writer's concerns of the impeccability of the outgoing AG comes too late. The comments are certainly appreciated and we should mourn the loss of Ainum. However, the deal is done.

The "balance" is returned to prop up the institution of the AG as nothing more than this government's whipping boy.