Much that is good in life is a gift, free for the taking. The Internet is one of them, the gift of a modest man who knows its value, but gave it for the benefit of mankind. His only condition was that it remain forever free. History will heap upon him great honour.

The Internet provides information, entertainment, news and reading material of every kind. It is almost all free.

Only connectivity has a fee, which benefits the local telephone carrier and the Internet Service Provider (ISP). In a cybercafe these fees are included in the hourly charge. For home or business access the charges are billed monthly after the initial deposit and account arrangements are made.

It was not foreseen that the Internet would become an instrument for combating tyranny, a dread of dictators, and a means of communicating current events quickly and accurately. Where all newspapers, radio and TV are controlled to prevent the public from knowing what the politicians are doing, the Internet has become a means of exposing corruption and criminal conduct.

Malaysia lived in blissful ignorance for many years. Only the rumour mill provided grist for public suspicion that much mischief was afoot. The people were intimidated, and kept in the dark.

Whetstone for the wit

Out of the darkness and fear came the online newspaper Malaysiakini. Its reporters went to the scene to verify stories that were too weird to be true, and generally weren't. The alternative version, as reported by eyewitnesses, was put next to the official version.

This boldness and audacity shocked Malaysian authorities who think all news is malleable. The threats of "We'll get you!" became routine, but the independence of the online newspaper still shines through. It is a beacon of light to a country under tight news control, and serves as a model to other aspiring online newspapers everywhere. Freedom of the press is under pressure even in the democratic zone, and only the Internet offers a last sanctuary for journalists with the courage to dig out the truth and write what they find.

Agreed, the openness of the Internet allows abuse, and anyone can write and post an opinion piece for a fee. There is no guarantee that what you read is the result of responsible research, or that a slant is not being introduced to guide your opinion. The Internet is a place where a critical mind can find a whetstone for the wit. A sharp wit is necessary because opinion pieces are particularly prone to project a personal perspective.

It is amusing and instructive to have both sides of an issue presented in the same news item. Malaysiakini excels in this, and is recognised for its contribution to press freedom.

Help wanted

Online news providers have expenses. Daily overhead must be met. While some income is generated by advertising revenue, it is not enough. The original seed funding came in the form of a generous grant from a foundation devoted to press freedom. It is now running low, and Malaysiakini asks help from its readers to survive.

What is required is a commitment to preserve a resource that is vital to the mental and physical well-being of the people. Those who admire and enjoy Malaysiakini as a daily source of inspiration and information can make a decision that those who produce the product deserve to be paid.

Some material in Malaysiakini is donated by dedicated writers, but the salary of the professional staff is a budget item. There are other fixed expenses that cannot be reduced or avoided. If Malaysiakini is to offer the same level of service, these obligations must be met.

New and convenient methods of payment are available. Please subscribe today. In the new format, only the first line or two of each opinion or feature item will appear; the full articles will be available by password only.

So when the new scheme is in effect, only the first few lines of my Malaysiakini Worldview column could be read without a password. You might not miss me, but somehow I feel that I would miss you.