Though the recent sudden closures of The Rakyat Post and The Malaysian Insider came as a sad news for many - especially when some 140 staff from both organisations are affected - the silver lining is that many are gradually becoming aware of the need for media freedom.

The closure of both organisations has also shed some light on how news portals function in Malaysia and it ties in with the desire to be free and independent.

In order to stay afloat in Malaysia, news portals have to resort to advertisements, advertorials, brand plug-ins and at times even through funders who probably use this as an opportunity to purchase space or a stake in spurring their own personal agenda and plans.

A media organisation that is free from sponsors and funders has more space to provide the news as it is, i.e. without prejudice, biasness and with the liberal openness of providing opinions and perspectives from different angles for, by and to the people.

However, the catch is that such an organisation has to then charge a certain monthly fee to be able to provide income to their hardworking staff who work tirelessly to provide news that matters to the people, along with generating enough revenue to sort out the electricity and facilities bills and fees in the running of the site.

Malaysians themselves must realise

The solution is pretty simple: journalism in Malaysia has to be of a certain quality or standard, wherein the journalists themselves should rebel against the policies of certain news organisations that do not practise fair and balance reporting.

Malaysians themselves must realise that in order to read unbiased and well-written news that is not tainted and laced with any ounce of propaganda, be it subtle or obvious, they have to pay an affordable monthly or yearly sum to keep an independent and free media organisation generating a steady revenue.

In the meantime, while the above can be experimented, I personally feel that the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) should buck up in allocating funds, through donations from the public, for media practitioners to apply for should they lose their jobs, lives, or sustain serious injuries or disabilities.

The minimum (or maximum) sum can be of great help should such incidents occur.

This, of course, cannot be made possible without the journalists themselves making an effort and Malaysians lending a helping hand.

I am writing this because I am firsthand experiencing the brunt of the sudden closure of my wife's news portal and it is extremely challenging, especially when she is set to go into labour next month and I am in the midst of applying for a full-time job.

To keep us afloat in these two months filled with uncertainties, I have created an e-comic explaining the benefits of press freedom, which can be purchased for RM16.20 (US$4) at this link here .

The struggle for media freedom is real and it is an arduous journey, but with an open heart and mind, I hope to see it become a reality for us Malaysians.

SUKHBIR CHEEMA is a writer and cartoonist and a former journalist with New Straits Times and The Rakyat Post .