Internet news website malaysiakini and its jailed columnist Hishamuddin Rais won the Consumers' Media Award for best practitioner in the English and Malay medium, in conjunction with the World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) Festival in Penang yesterday.

The winner of the best practitioner's award in the Chinese medium was bagged by Perspektif Pedas , an alternative magazine which was started in March 2000.

The day-long festival - jointly organised by Save Ourselves (SOS) and Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) - included a round table dialogue o­n press freedom, workshops and book launches. It drew about 50 participants including journalists and rights activists.

WPFD is observed worldwide o­n May 3 to highlight issues linked to press freedom and to remember journalists who have died in the course of duty during the year.