LETTER | As someone who has spent decades crafting narratives for brands, causes, and communities, I’ve always held one truth sacred: the storyteller must never be silenced.

The role of a journalist is not just to report what’s seen, but often to reveal what others would rather keep hidden.

And those who do it with integrity walk a difficult path - one often filled with danger, doubt, and the weight of public scrutiny.

That’s why, when I read that B Nantha Kumar, a seasoned and fearless journalist with Malaysiakini, had been reinstated following an independent inquiry, I felt something deeper than relief.

I felt pride.

Not just for Nantha, but for the institution that chose due process over damage control.

In a time when headlines change faster than public opinion, Malaysiakini chose values over vanity. And that, in today’s climate, is revolutionary.

We often speak of press freedom in sweeping terms. But let’s be honest - it’s easy to stand tall when the cause is popular, or when the public is behind you.

The real test of integrity comes when the spotlight turns inward. When the questions are uncomfortable. When it’s one of your own who’s under investigation.

And in early March 2025, that’s exactly what Malaysiakini faced. Nantha Kumar was suspended, and whispers began. Was there wrongdoing? Was this political pressure? What really happened?

Act of accountability

Malaysiakini, to its credit, didn’t rush to feed the rumour mill.

Instead, it pressed pause. It treated Nantha with fairness, suspending him with full benefits, a clear signal that this was not a verdict, but the beginning of a process. One marked by transparency, not theatre.

Then came the masterstroke: an independent panel was brought in to conduct the inquiry.

In a world where “internal investigations” are often just PR code for sweeping things under the carpet, this was a rare act of accountability.

Malaysiakini handed over the mic. And that decision - to step back in order to let the truth speak - deserves loud and public recognition.

Because here’s the truth that too many institutions forget: how you treat your people in a moment of crisis tells us everything about who you really are.

The statement announcing Nantha’s return wasn’t flashy. It was brief. Dignified. No gloating. No defensiveness. Just the facts.

It didn’t need to shout, because the actions had already spoken volumes.

And in the cacophony of modern media, that kind of restraint is a superpower.

But beyond corporate communication strategy, beyond brand management - this is about something much bigger.

Allowing the truth to emerge

This is about trust.

Trust in journalism. Trust in institutions. Trust that in a nation too often shaken by partisanship and erosion of public confidence, there remain pockets of principled leadership.

And Malaysiakini - long a bastion of independent media - has just reminded us why it matters. Why we must support it. Why we must protect the space it occupies.

Because when our journalists are defended with fairness, when investigations are handled with rigour, and when truth is allowed to emerge without fear or favour - we all win.

Not just Nantha. Not just Malaysiakini. But Malaysia.

So yes - welcome home, Nantha. And to Malaysiakini - thank you. Not just for doing what was right, but for doing it with quiet conviction.

In this distrustful age, you’ve done more than uphold the ethics of journalism - you’ve modelled the kind of leadership we all crave in our institutions, from media houses to ministries.

In a world that’s all too eager to cancel, you chose to consider. In a culture of instant outrage, you chose introspection.

And in doing so, you’ve shown us what real courage looks like.

MALKEET SINGH is a co-founder and former director of Bloomingdale Advertising Sdn Bhd, a home-grown communications agency which thrived for 30 years and has ceased operations.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.