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Malaysiakini is a website that started was started in 1999. The news portal as it is known is published in different languages, namely English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil. The website is one of the most visited news website in Malaysia as it is considered to be one of the leading non-government owned news providers in the country. The website is such in nature because of the fact that it is an online portal and hence is not subjected to the regulation of media in the country.
Over the years, it has slowly moved up its impression where Malaysiakini has gained much acknowledgement as well as disputes for being a little bit too daring. This is because it tends to be skewed towards the issues that many felt might be too taboo or too sensitive to be reported over the media. Particularly this have to do with the issue of news cencorship by the government of Malaysia, an issue often talked about and many who would most likely to abide with. With the government pledging that censorship of Internet will not be controlled under one of the 10 Bill of Guarantees under the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), MalaysiaKini is able to use the platform for their independence in freedom of speech and reporting.
The content in the website covers primarily local events and issues, although to some quarters, the main focus had always been on the political scene. News are published daily except for Sundays and some public holidays. There are, apart from the daily news feeds, blogs, columns which provide much insights into the daily happenings. The portal also encourages much participation from its readers where they can submit their comments and opinions which will be published in the letters section. This section is one of the most actively participated sections in the portal where there are always discussions, debates by all people from all walks of life.
As with most Malaysian portals, Malaysiakini has since had its controversial issues. 7 years ago, the police of Selangor reported the website for quoting its comments which questioned the official death toll from the racial riots in Petaling Jaya. There was also a report on by a University student who reported that a letter on the website bearing his name was not authored by him. In 2003, Malaysiakini was again in the news, this time after being reported by the right wing activists of the Umno Youth movement who claimed that a letter posted on the website by a reader bearing the name of ‘Petrof’ included some seditious statements as it questioned the special rights and privileges of the Bumiputeras. This prompted the police to take action where they raided the office of Malaysiakini, seizing four servers and 15 computer units.
In 2005, Malaysiakini published a news report, alleging that 4 senior government officials are investigated for corruption. This as it turned out was an April Fool’s Joke pulled by the website and prompted the government to order an investigation into the company.
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