We often deplore the lack of press freedom in any country that suppresses honest assessments of the government's inadequacies, wrong doings and corrupt practices. The more totalitarian the administration is, the less freedom the media will have to give an honest analysis of issues concerning the state and country.
We ourselves don't have look very far to find a country that has limited press freedom. Our mainstream media is all owned by political parties of the ruling coalition and government critics have been arrested and charged for contravening the Official Secrets Act, Sedition Act etc.
Every year, Reporters Without Borders establishes a ranking of countries in terms of their freedom of the press. In 2012 Malaysia ranked 122 out 142 in press freedom.
In matured societies and mature democracies; honest feedback, truthful analysis and constructive criticism is welcomed for them to be better at what they do as the press is our social mirror.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference, and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers".
Does it apply to our club? I believe so, unless Kangaroo our founder tells me he is an extension of Chin Peng and we are all communist (if that were the case, I would not only the first to be ex-communicated but surely be executed by a firing squad for dissent). Hence, likewise we welcome any feedback from our members and I will post anything from the members without fear or favor as long as it is dealing with genuine matters pertaining to the club and not personalities. To immune ourselves from criticis whether from within or without and assume that we are all flawless is to be in denial, we only keep lying to ourselves, and have to keep covering up our shortfalls.
