Malaysians will remember March 15, 2016, as the day The Malaysian Insider went dark.

For eight years and 48 days, the men and women of that publication worked tirelessly to provide the news to the rakyat against onerous odds and obstacles. For that dedication and sacrifice, we as a member of the free media salute a comrade-in-arms gone too soon.

As one of the foremost alternative media websites to emerge from the political tsunami of 2008, TMI built its name on giving fair coverage to the side often ignored by the mainstream and BN-friendly media. This put it in the government’s crosshairs more than once. The most recent infraction caused the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to block access to the portal – not that it prevented TMI from opening up a mirror site, much to the amusement of its readers.

TMI editor Jahabar Sadiq cites commercial reasons as the main cause of TMI’s end. To this, we can only say, “We understand.” Running a news portal isn’t an easy business, and it isn’t cheap. At the end of the day, there is still the “real world” to deal with, one with numbers and profits and losses. A news-providing organisation, like any other organisation that needs money to keep running, is subject to that ominous force called “cash flow.” This force is especially threatening to the organisation that runs an alternative newspaper on the Internet.

Even as we at FMT continue in our struggle to bring you the news, the demise of TMI weighs heavily in our hearts. Jahabar is right in saying that now, more than ever, Malaysia needs more clarity, transparency, and information because the rakyat needs the truth from the media. It is not our job to sugarcoat things, or to play fast and loose with the facts. It is our job to report the truth as far as we can ascertain it and to provide a variety of opinions on current affairs so that you can make an informed decision at the polls.

To the team at TMI, you will be sorely missed. You have been an inspiration to other journalists with your dogged pursuit of the truth and your conviction to stand by what you have reported even in the face of immense pressure. The media industry will be less vibrant without the familiar orange and white hues of TMI at every political event, and these will certainly be missed by the man on the street.

We may no longer have The Malaysian Insider among us, but its spirit lives on in the independent media. Many will come forward to try to assume the mantle it has left behind. The idea of the truth is such that once it has taken hold, it never really lets go.

Thank you for eight years’ worth of good reads, TMI.