"Two Internet newspaper reporters get an earful from Samy Vellu", reads the arresting headline in the New Straits Times today, followed by a report datelined Kulim, Thursday.

The question that earned the minister's ire was why the Works Minister had set the deadline for development projects to be completed before Nov 29, which is polling day for the Lunas by-election.

The report adds: "And he (Samy Vellu) told them off for insinuating that he only visited Indian majority areas during his campaign rounds."

Although not identified, the two reporters referred to were from malaysiakini, and we are proud of them for a job well done. Theirs was a valid, relevant and timely question directed at an elected representative.

Zakiah Koya and Susan Loone informed that the question was raised in the context that fast-track implementation of big-buck projects during a by-election was aimed at "buying votes" of the Lunas constituents.

On another issue featuring prominently in the current Lunas campaign, malaysiakini reported yesterday that Education Minister Musa Mohamad assured that Chinese and Tamil language schools will not be forced to participate in the Vision School project (No coercion for Vision School project: Musa, Nov 23).

Short memories

Samy Vellu, president of the third senior component of the 14-member BN coalition, was also asked about complaints from certain quarters that Tamil schools had not been consulted on the Vision School matter. His reply: "I have consulted everybody myself."

Malaysiakini had reported C Manyam, editor of Semparthi, a Tamil monthly magazine, as saying that is was unsatisfactory of the education minister not to invite any education groups or representatives from the Tamil community to take part in the ministry's dialogues regarding the Vision School (Tamil schools join Vision School fray, Nov 18).

Remember, Samy Vellu has been among the Barisan Nasional pride courting the electorate with great humility and passion just one year ago so that they can best represent the rakyat's interests and the people should re-endorse what has been a responsible government.

Now, just after a year from the November 1999 general elections, these leaders expect all of us to have short memories.

Responsibility in government means accountability, and accountability demands acceptable answers to reasonable questions posed by those who elected the Members of Parliament, including the honourable one from Sungai Siput, into the august body called the Dewan Rakyat. Remember, Rakyat means the People in Malay.

Here at malaysiakini, we take pride in our reporters doing their job well, and if some ministers think they can dictate what questions can be entertained by them, and they expect media members to be another public relations arm of the ruling coalition, they are sorely mistaken.

Our basic task

Reporters at malaysiakini in the past year have indeed encountered walls when they asked "hard questions" of several ministers on issues of the day. Sometimes, the reporters are given evasive answers or told "That will be for another day!"

We are quite patient here, we'll wait for that "another day"!

In an environment where the Executive is near omnipotent, overseeing a much emasculated Judiciary and the ruling government commanding more than two-thirds majority in the national Legislature, the burden and responsibility that befalls the Fourth Estate is indeed heavy and onerous.

One year into the second millennium, when globalisation makes a steady advance in a world that is increasingly becoming a borderless one, Malaysian media must be aware their role is easily put under the world scrutiny.

Yes, we are not an elected body, but the role of the press is as important as that of the other three estates, and more so if either or more of the other three have defaulted or compromised themselves.

Malaysiakini will continue to press on as an independent and fearless, but responsible, Internet newspaper, where we owe no loyalties to any political parties or politicians. Our reporters hold on to a code of ethics that applies in journalism as a noble profession, guided by the overriding interests of the readers and the nation's.

As a citizen owes loyalty to King and country, a reporter's calling owes loyalty only to telling the truth of news in the making, and unmasking the half-truths of issues certain parties like to fob off on an unsuspecting audience.

Reporters must continue to ask difficult questions ... that's a basic task.