The Internet alone cannot bring about democracy.

True, the Internet can, and has, made a difference. But in many Third World countries, the Internet penetration rate is extremely low. In addition to the digital divide between the rich and the poor, there is a language divide, a gender divide and a geographical divide.

Moreover, there is no complete freedom on the Net. Take, for example, malaysiakini . The only advantage we have over the traditional media in Malaysia is that we need not apply for the annual publication licence from the government.

But we still face all the other restrictive laws that keep the mainstream media in check: there is the Internal Security Act, the Official Secrets Act, laws against sedition, libel and defamation, and contempt of court - just to name a few.

Until all these restrictive laws are repealed, there can be no genuine press freedom.

Press freedom on the Internet, like its analog cousins, must be zealously defended and protected. Which is why I am honored to be the first Internet journalist - and first Malaysian - to receive this International Press Freedom award.

Malaysia is a democracy, but our system is full of contradictions. We have freedom of speech, but no freedom after speech. There is freedom of movement, but no freedom of assembly. We have a plethora of publications, but no free press.

The government had a complete monopoly on information - until the emergence of the Internet.

Malaysiakini went live exactly one year ago, and we are still very much a cowboy outfit. Yet we already have 120,000 unique visitors daily - which puts us in league with the major daily papers in Malaysia.

To be honest, I have not done anything courageous. I have been simply doing my job as a professional journalist. But this award is greatly appreciated. It shows Malaysian journalists that they are not alone.

When I was briefly detained in prison four years ago, I found it a rather pleasant experience. Pleasant, because at night when I climbed up the wall and looked outside the tiny window of my cell, I could see a sea of flickering lights. Hundreds of supporters were outside holding a candlelight vigil.

With this award, Malaysian journalists can now climb up the wall to see that there are people like you on the outside who are standing by them, and together we shall keep the flame of press freedom burning.

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Malaysian journalist wins press freedom award, Oct 24

STEVEN GAN is editor of malaysiakini . He received the Committee to Protect Journalists' Press Freedom Award in New York today at a dinner attended by 800 journalists.