Fourth estate: A free and responsible media is not a luxury – it is essential to democracy says the columnist. — 123rf
IN Malaysia, we often speak of the three pillars of democracy: the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary. These are also referred to as the three branches of government. Yet therein lies a subtle problem: since all three are part of government machinery, overlaps and influence are inevitable.
Interference, whether overt or covert, is not a myth; it is a lived reality. While the general public may not always perceive it, both the educated and uneducated elites know the unspoken secret: that these pillars, while meant to act as checks and balances, often bend under the weight of political pressure, vested interests, or silent complicity.
