Upon reading your report about the government advisory to the press to downplay the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) situation, it hit me yet again that Malaysians will never be an informed society thriving o­n a mature K-based economy. Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad may as well pack up his Cyberjaya and notion of an industrialised nation in 2020.

Why? Because the government treats its citizenry like children. Perhaps the rakyat do behave like children but that is o­nly because the Barisan Nasional government has always protected the rakyat from any bad news in the country and the rakyat have never learnt to deal with any emergency situations.

Why is it that rumours, half-truths and exaggerations abound and even thrive in Malaysia? Because the public is always kept in the dark and unaware of the real situation. So we learn to rely o­n kopitiam (coffee shop) talk, the Internet, and the pakcik and makcik who carry the latest 'news' by word of mouth.

The excuse for the blockade of access to information is always ostensibly for the sake of the economy, tourist industry, etc. Never mind the people that may die of SARS because of lack of awareness of the disease; never mind that those who survive may never learn to cope with it should it strike again. When a full-blown emergency occurs, all hell will surely break loose because the people won't be able to trust public service announcements after having been deceived with half-truths.

It is quite disturbing - even irritating - that this government continues to enforce media blackouts to suit its whims. The o­nly way is for the people to say enough is enough! Show that we, the rakyat, want to know the truth and that we need to learn how to handle it even if it hurts.

I have not bought any mainstream newspapers for four years now and whenever I happen to read o­ne, I am reminded yet again how much useless news and government-sponsored news is in it.