I’m greatly saddened by the news that a certain English tabloid is planning to turn the release of intimate photos of Elizabeth Wong into a news story. Of the editors of this paper, I would ask ‘Is this what you went into journalism to do?’ It is the journalistic equivalent of prostitution.

There are clear journalistic principles that guide intrusion into the private affairs of a public individual. Ultimately there must be a public interest, so for those editors who struggle with English let me explain.

There is a difference between what is titillating to members of the public and what is of public interest. Just because the public would like to see Britney Spears or her Malaysian equivalent naked does not give them a right to do so. Public interest means that there must be a matter of civil or national importance at stake.

In proper democracies, we allow politicians to maintain their privacy unless there is a conflict between their public positions and their private actions. So a right wing family-values politician who has a string of mistresses is fair game – they could legitimately be exposed because they have betrayed those who elected them.

Likewise, an environmentalist turned politician who publicly campaigns against polluting companies but privately buys shares in those same companies deserves to be held to account.

I have known Elizabeth Wong for a number of years. She is a passionate defender of civil and human rights, she is not someone who goes round lecturing others about who they should or should not sleep with (heaven knows that Malaysia is not short of such busybodies).

She is a feminist who believes, quite rightly, that women should be judged by the same standards as men. Despite her involvement in politics, she has never stopped being a ‘real’ person with a real life, loves and feelings.

She is a fully three-dimensional human being, unlike the cardboard cut-outs that some politicians become. Above all, she is a person of principle who gives far more to Malaysia and its people than she takes.

Elizabeth Wong did not run as a nun, these pictures or news of their existence does not in anyway contradict her public stand on any issue. By running this story, the editors and staff of these newspapers are holding themselves up to be judged by the same standards.

If they are prepared to publish, whether censored or not, or even just publicise pictures of Elizabeth Wong then there is no ethical reason why they should object to being treated just the same.

There is now no moral reason why anyone with a naked photo of a senior executive of these newspapers should not make it public, though on grounds of taste, I would urge you to refrain from doing so.

If there is a silver lining to this cloud, it is the support offered to Wong by some in BN. It is always encouraging to see demonstrations of bipartisanship and principles from within the government.

To Mohd Khir Toyo, however, I would say the only reason that there are no naked photos of you in circulation is that anyone crazy enough to want to take such a picture would have long since been sent to Tanjong Rambutan – and thank heavens because no Malaysian likes to be put off their dinner.