The controversy surrounding The Coverage, Vincent Lee, and the endless accusations flying across social media may be entertaining for political spectators, but perhaps we are all asking the wrong question.
The real question is bigger than Vincent Lee. Bigger than political parties. Bigger than one portal.
Who actually owns the media that shapes public opinion?
Because sooner or later, every road leads back to the same destination: trust. And trust is like glass. Once cracked, it is never quite the same again.
The easiest way to end speculation is not through press statements, denials, or online arguments. It is through complete transparency.
Show the ownership.
Show the shareholders.
Show the funding.
Show who ultimately controls the steering wheel.
Simple….
As Americans like to say, "Sunlight is the best disinfectant."
In Malaysia, we have our own wisdom: berani kerana benar, takut kerana salah. If there is nothing to hide, why fear disclosure?
After all, credibility is not built behind closed doors. Credibility is built when people can see exactly who is standing in front of them.
When ownership remains hidden, suspicion naturally fills the vacuum. People begin asking questions.
Is this journalism?
Is this business?
Is this politics?
Or is this somebody's personal agenda wearing a journalist's uniform?
Fair or unfair, secrecy invites speculation. And once speculation starts, it spreads faster than wildfire in a musim kemarau.
That is why this discussion should not be about one media portal alone. The same standard should apply to everyone, regardless of whether they lean left, right, government, opposition, or somewhere in between.
Many media personalities speak passionately about press freedom.
Good.
They should.
A free press is one of the pillars of a democratic society.
But there is another pillar standing beside it: accountability.
And accountability begins with transparency.
You cannot demand public trust while hiding basic information about ownership and influence.
You cannot preach integrity while refusing to reveal who funds the operation.
As the old Malay proverb reminds us, harapkan pegar, pegar makan padi.
The very institution entrusted to guard public interest should not become the source of public doubt.
That is why the contradiction is impossible to ignore.
Some people shout loudly about press freedom but become strangely uncomfortable when the conversation turns toward ownership transparency.
They want freedom under the spotlight but secrecy behind the curtain.
That is like wanting to play football while hiding the scoreboard.
It does not work…
As Malaysia celebrates Hari Wartawan Nasional (HAWANA), perhaps this is the perfect moment for some honest reflection.
Journalism is not merely the freedom to publish.
It is the responsibility to be open with the people who consume that information.
Readers deserve to know who is talking to them.
Readers deserve to know who pays the bills and whose interests may be sitting quietly in the background.
Nobody expects journalists to be perfect and media organisations to be saints.
But the public does expect honesty. A truly independent media organisation should have nothing to fear from transparency.
In fact, transparency is not the enemy of press freedom. Transparency is its strongest shield. Because when ownership is clear, credibility grows.
When credibility grows, trust follows. And when trust follows, journalism becomes stronger.
If we genuinely believe in press freedom, then we should also believe in media ownership transparency.
Otherwise, we risk turning press freedom into nothing more than a fashionable slogan while practicing secrecy behind the curtain.
And as the Americans would say, that's the elephant in the room.
As Malaysians would say, cakap tak serupa bikin.
And that may be the greatest hypocrisy of all.
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