Recently much attention has been thrown in the direction of malaysiakini , from both the media as well as from politicians.

The spotlight swung with an article carried by the Far Eastern Economic Review in its Feb 8 edition. The edition carried an interview with the notorious financial speculator George Soros.

While the interview itself did not refer to malaysiakini , the introductory preamble to the interview erroneously said that malaysiakini was among the media organisations in Asia which received funds from Soros' Open Society Fund.

The Review later carried a clarification but without conceding that it had made a mistake. Instead, it said that Soros funded the Bangkok-based Southeast Asian Press Alliance (Seapa), which is one of many sources of funding for malaysiakini .

The fact of the matter is that while Seapa did receive some money from the Soros foundation, it was to pay the stipend of an advisor. None of Soros' money was either solicited or offered to malaysiakini by Seapa. Thus, the clarification was misleading.

Perhaps pride did not allow the Review to correct its mistake.

This false report has nevertheless provided ammunition to malaysiakini's detractors to cast a negative image on this independent news portal.

Politicians play

First off the block was a deputy minister, who said that malaysiakini would face government "actions" if it had taken money from Soros. He then decided to override his superiors and ordered the online newspaper's journalists "banned" from government functions.

While malaysiakini was trying to initiate damage control created by Review and this junior minister, the local media seized the rare opportunity to pummel their web sibling and jumped on the bandwagon self-righteously labelled 'malaysiakini must pay!'.

Soon, the new parliamentary secretary for the Information Ministry, Zainuddin Maidin entered the fray claiming that malaysiakini was an opposition tool, citing examples of this news portal using comments from DAP and PRM leaders to defend itself against the relentless attack on malaysiakini .

Zainuddin's logic in issuing these statements is beyond comprehension. For a senior journalist with about 40 years of experience, he, for one, failed in basic journalistic sense by overlooking malaysiakini' s denial of any links with Soros.

He refused to believe the truth. For him, and his political menu, the untruth looked much more appetising and he has gone on to feast on that issue.

Without merit

His claims on malaysiakini relying on opposition leaders for armour are without merit. Maybe he could himself give an answer as to how malaysiakini is to quote government politicians if they are not willing to answer questions from malaysiakini .

Zainuddin himself is an example. Malaysiakini 's attempts to get him to comment on the matter was unfruitful. He refused to talk to malaysiakini and in the same breath he alleges that malaysiakini only provides a platform for opposition leaders.

One must also understand malaysiakini 's function, which is to provide independent news without fear or favour. To do this, malaysiakini covers the events of both government and opposition.

Malaysiakini refrains from blacking-out any news items, unlike other media, particularly those concerning opposition activities and statements.

For doing what a credible newspaper should do, malaysiakini gets politicians casting doubts on its credibility.

Straying from truth?

The attack by politicians was stepped up when the foreign minister entered the ring and said that malaysiakini had "strayed from the truth", invariably implying, quite correctly, that it had all along maintained the truth.

He even threw a fit over malaysiakini 's revenue opportunity by having the American Embassy advertise on this news portal.

Maybe the minister was unaware that a website of an established and venerable newspaper in the country with undeniable links with the ruling party too, carries the advertisement of the US Embassy.

Syed Hamid Albar also accused malaysiakini of hypocrisy for not entertaining a group of journalists who came to our office.

It is true that a group of journalists came to the malaysiakini office but they came totally unannounced and uninvited, catching all staff by surprise. One could say it was an 'press conference ambush' to get malaysiakini to comment on the attacks made against it.

Malaysiakini editor Steven Gan, however, did extend them due courtesy and invited them in. He also requested that the reporters submit written questions as this would best ensure that statements from malaysiakini were not misconstrued by the media.

Media attack

This does not in the least support the accusation of hypocrisy. In fact the press were entertained and were told that malaysiakini will not be making any comments at that stage.

Syed Hamid also alleged that malaysiakini had a 'political agenda'. It would be helpful if the minister could highlight what he meant by 'political agenda'.

Readers of this news portal, however, have pointed out the fact that the foreign minister's ire could be simply due to the fact that he has never been interviewed by malaysiakini as opposed to several other prominent Umno stalwarts.

For all intents and purposes, it is evident that it is the politicians who attack malaysiakini that are working on a political agenda. Possibly, they need to be in the news constantly to remind their voters that they are doing their work.

Based on the response of the Malaysian media, both print and electronic, in joining the feeding frenzy, one can only assume that the media was also playing a part in the political agenda.

Slanted reports

The local media have been happy to report accurately the comments made by the politicians, some even writing editorials, carrying commentary pieces as well as letters by their readers. RTM's TV1 even had a special slot to discuss malaysiakini 's 'nefarious' deed.

Their interpretation of the issue has been slanted to the government's favour, at times totally ignoring facts presented by malaysiakini which clearly show that the 'Soros sandiwara nothing but an attempt to undermine an independent news provider through all means.

The role of media is to provide independent and critical evaluation on issues as a check and balance to the government. Over time, some media organisations have become lax in this duty and have been seduced into producing governmental propaganda.

Malaysiakini refuses to do and as such has become whipping boy for 'concerned parties' who must serve their self interests at all costs.

K KABILAN is malaysiakini 's chief reporter.