I refer to the malaysiakini report Lim quits over Asli's report retraction . Progressive Malaysians of all walks of life and internationally-known research centres and organisations around the world are certainly not shocked at the announcement that academic Dr Lim Teck Ghee tendered his resignation from think-tank Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli).

This act was inevitable following Asli president Mirzan Mahathir's decision to retract a study carried out by Asli's Centre of Public Policy Studies (CPPS) headed by Lim.

We are not shocked because based on the kind of reception the report received from Umno politicians, pro-government academia besides the kind of negative coverage in the vernacular print media, Lim had no other alternative. We must remember that in a compromised academic and research atmosphere, no honest and right-thinking man of academic substance will do anything less but resign to protect his academic integrity.

Having worked with Lim at both the Centre of Policy Research (CPR) in Penang and the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP), I among others, can personally vouch for his integrity and the extremely high standards he upholds in academic research.

It was indeed another a sad day in the history of Malaysia but one that reconfirms that Malaysia is not ready to practice what it proudly preaches in domestic and international fora - that of academic freedom, of accountability, of good governance and transparency.

The Asli episode also makes a mockery and joke of the government's political decision to set up an Integrity Institute. More so, when the fundamental right of Malaysians to question all government statistics and policies is shot down by what some may interpret as 'political thuggery'.

With their retraction, Asli might as well do themselves and all Malaysian's a favour and fold up, as they have now forever lost their academic and research credibility. This whole episode from start to finish aptly demonstrates the downward spiral the country is experiencing.