If Dr Mahathir Mohamad were still at the helm today, I will obviously not be in the least surprised to read that malaysiakini's two-year application for a print publication is still in the process of being processed (read 'rejected').

One cannot fault Mahathir for that. The brave front that he projected is just that: a brave front. Behind that brave front ostensibly lies an unsettled feeling of deep-rooted insecurity that is justified and nurtured by the 'heavyweight' infighting that could have dealt a severe and fatal blow to his political career.

Mahathir knew neither who his friends were nor who were his enemies. Could Mahathir therefore trust anyone? Was it not true that Mahathir trusted nobody, and his government was but a 'one-man show', much akin to a sole proprietorship? Was it not true that Mahathir had to fortress himself with ever more restrictive and repressive laws and procedures in order to facilitate his continuance to rule this country for 22 years?

But what has Abdullah Ahmad Badawi got to fear? Hasn't the rakyat endorsed his leadership by giving him a resounding 90.4 percent landslide victory in the recent elections - a margin that will daunt even the most vociferous contender to his position?

Isn't it precisely because of Abdullah's apparently sincere stance for openness and good governance that Malaysians gave him the overwhelming support he so badly requires to erase any doubts as to his leadership?

Why then should Abdullah balk at his own personal convictions and compromise on his own integrity when it comes to a mini-crunch like granting malaysiakini a print publication licence?

Did Abdullah not say in his recent election manifesto that 'we will listen to and act on the hopes and aspirations of all groups, regardless of age, gender, ethnic background and religion', or was this something written by a spin doctor that he did not actually agree to?

I must therefore admit that I am very surprised that Abdullah is having cold feet over malaysiakini 's application.

I do not find it logical that something is prejudicial and will jeopardise national security and public order when printed on paper, but not so when published online. Deep-seated emotional fears are indeed, hard to erase.

Malaysiakini

has been in existence since 1999. Has it at any time proven itself to be a threat to national security and public order? If anything, it has proven that the contrary is true and that Abdullah's fears are absolutely and totally unfounded.

Unlike in 1969, Malaysians are today very much more educated and mature and given malaysiakini 's five-year track record, it is now timely to repeal or at least relax the restrictive Printing Presses and Publications Act.

One may unjustifiably point to the malaysiakini incident involving Umno Youth in January 2003 when the latter took offence to a comparison, in a letter submitted by a 'Petrof', of the youth wing to the Ku Klux Klan.

That Umno Youth should explicitly dissociate itself from the unjustified police action in face of adverse international opinion is testimony enough to vindicate malaysiakini of any wrongdoing.

It seems quite evident to me that even after almost half a century of very strong support from the rakyat, the Barisan Nasional government is still unsure of itself. Umno must realise that its multi-racial component party coalition, dominated by a Malay-based party, is the only viable strategy to forming a government in Malaysia.

No single multi-racial party or communal party can ever realistically hope to form a government in Malaysia; not, at least, for the foreseeable future. Attempts by the opposition parties to cooperate with each other has been, in the words of Tunku Abdul Rahman, '... like an alliance between frogs and rats' what with their divergent and irreconcilable policies and ideologies.

The validity of Tunku's statement still holds true today, as witnessed by the disastrous defeat of the Barisan Alternatif in 1999, even at the worst of times for the Barisan Nasional. Umno's willingness to share power with any political party that has a sizeable support does little to help the opposition's cause.

It does Abdullah no good to surround himself with 'yes-men' who speak only what he wants to hear. No one can see himself without a mirror. Malaysiakini is the best mirror that Abdullah will ever have.

Without resorting to an outright ban on a printed publication, there are several ways that the Barisan Nasional government can still control a print publication, without resort to the repressive Printing Presses and Publications Act.

One way is for the government to issue an injunction, or a mere written warning, to restrain any newspaper from continuing to publish any article on an issue that it truly and honestly feels will jeopardise national interests.

However, Abdullah must be honest with the fact that what jeopardises his party's interest does not necessarily tantamount to a jeopardy of national interests.

If the truth hurts, the ruling coalition should take it in good spirit and take corrective action to rectify the problem. Silencing the critics will not help matters. Truth is still truth, whether it is ventilated or gagged. A problem remains a problem until it is solved.

Malaysians have become a pathetically docile lot. This does not mean that they have no grievances. It is no good for the country if public opinion is merely swept under the carpet. By allowing the people to air their grievances, the government actually goes a long way in helping to defuse potential social time bombs.

In its conditions for the issuance of a print publication licence, the government can also insist that it has the right to be published on the front page of the publication, any statement that it wishes to make in defence of any unjustified accusation, thereby setting the record right and allowing for any misunderstanding or misconception held by some segment of the population to be corrected.

And if these measures are still deemed insufficient, the government can insist on a warning label to be carried on the publication's masthead, similar to those that are carried on cigarette boxes and for movies for public viewing.

Let us hope that Abdullah will not balk on his election manifesto that he 'will listen to and act on the hopes and aspirations of all groups'. Malaysiakini, after all, has proven to be a popular platform for many Malaysians to air their heartfelt opinions.