Deputy Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin threw a early damper o­n World Press Freedom Day celebrations tomorrow by pointing out that media freedom issues have become irrelevant after their Western proponents allegedly abandoned these values in the Iraq war coverage.

Zainuddin, invited to deliver the keynote address at a forum o­n media council issues organised by the NUJ, said World Press Freedom Day instead marks the end of media freedom at the hands of its strongest supporters, particularly the British and Americans.