Emotions ran high in November 2009 when the Federal Court convened to decide the Nizar-Zambry impasse in Ipoh, Malaysia. Mohamad Nizar Jamaluddin is, of course, the duly elected menteri besar of Perak.

Zambry Abdul Kadir was the Barisan Nasional appointee when it maneuvered the take over of the Perak government by enticing three Pakatan Rakyat members to be ‘friendly’ towards BN and consequently claiming Pakatan Rakyat had lost the majority in the state assembly.

As a result, Perak is embroiled in a constitutional turmoil, with both the candidates claiming the right to the menteri besar’s seat.

Judgment has been reserved. Both sides and Malaysians in general eagerly await the decision.

Since then, numerous articles have been written both by bloggers pro Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin as well as those pro-Zambry Abdul Kadir

Quite a few have skirted from the truth. Perhaps political bloggers are not concerned that the ethics of journalism apply just as much to the Internet and blogs as the tradional mainstream media?

How much of a creative licence can you take? Not much as two well-known bloggers found out when they had a defamation suit slapped on them.

On a related matter, in a recent article, Dr Lim Teck Ghee, the director of the Centre of Policy Initiatives (CPI) argues the case for neutrality on the part of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC ) particularly in relation to the Teoh Beng Hock case. Definitely a suggestion that should be welcomed.

CPI prides itself on providing ‘accurate information’ and being ‘an uncompromising watchdog’. But in an article just prior to article pleading for neutrality, his piece entitled Lawyers’ submission on Perak MB case (2) lacks that very neutrality he champions.

Only submissions by Nizr’s lawyers were presented. Submissions by Zambry’s lawyers were left out. Surely more neutrality is expected of a watchdog body whose objective is to provide ‘accurate information’.

The proliferation of political and current issue blogs in Malaysia has been so great that some claim it has replaced mainstream media. That their impact has been tremendous is undeniable and even cited as a cause for the Barisan Nasional debacle in the 2008 general elections.

But the omission of facts, twisting of the truth and blatant lies should not be the main fodder of blogs. The time has come for bloggers on both sides of the divide (that is Barisan Nasional vs Pakatan Rakyat) to practice self-censorship and aim for accuracy so that a healthy and mature community of bloggers develops. The time has come.