I refer to the report headlined Fair polls, free media: Key ingredients for greater democracy .

In my humble opinion, fair elections and free press are not the key ingredients for democratisation in the Malaysian context. They are indicators of democracy. Malaysia will not have fair elections and a free press until we make a transition to democracy.

To say that fair elections and a free press are key ingredients for democratisation is fallacious because it implies that Malaysia must have both factors before it can make a transition to democracy. Both are not necessary conditions for but are outcomes of democratisation.

Will Malaysia's ruling elite, with its hegemony over society, allow for fair elections and a free press if they cannot commit to democratisation in the first place?

Some people argue that a demand from below can force a regime to open up but this is not happening in Malaysia. Our civil society alone is too weak and fragmented, while the business community is siding with the state.

However, Malaysia's democratisation can be a gradual, top-down process if the elite are convinced of the benefits of opening up.

Perhaps democracy advocates in Malaysia should also understand and take advantage of circumstances which will push for a top-down democratisation process rather than just clinging on to the old idea of a bottom-up democratisation.

A non-governmental organisation mentality which overrates the influence of civil society and the contradiction against market forces could be a factor hindering the emergence of a stronger democratic movement in Malaysia.