Steven Gan

Content is king, so they say. They're wrong. Content is NOT king. Technology is.

At 71, and having been in power for 26 long years, Sarawak strongman Taib Mahmud is beginning to see haunting shadows everywhere.

For the Italian mafia, breaking the 'omerta' is punishable by death. In Malaysia, it's done with a little more finesse, but is no less effective.

There is a perception that journalism is under siege. In reality, it's media companies that are under threat - not journalism.

eksklusif Agak pelik juga bagi seorang yang dihukum penjara sewaktu zaman pentadbiran Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad ahli biologi dan penulis Munawar A Aness masih ada perasaan hormat terhadap bekas Perdana Menteri.

eksklusif Dia kembali semula ke Malaysia pada awal tahun ini yang pertama selepas meninggalkan negara ini pada 1999 setelah menjalani hukuman penjara untuk menghadiri kes rayuannya.

It's not the first time, nor will it be the last. Are we surprised? No. After all, we went into journalism with our eyes wide open.

The interview confirmed something we had known - Mahathir is not someone who owns up to his shortcomings easily.

It's ironic that Mahathir is taking to cyberspace, Malaysiakini-style, to break the monopoly on truth by the mainstream media.

Like many others, we too have been wronged by New Straits Times. But we do not believe that the government should take punitive action against the Umno mouthpiece.

The biggest fight in Umno is over Mahathirnomics. To Mahathirists, the mantra is 'spend freely and growth will take care of itself'. Abdullahristas don't share the faith.

Six years after Malaysiakini went live, we have yet to fulfil our mission. There is more to be done.

Last month, our northern neighbours succeeded in blocking the takeover of a top newspaper group by a government crony - a battle which we lost four years ago.

But don't get too carried away by the warring parties. After all, both the feuding leaders and the current government are responsible for the AP abuse.

Not so fast. It's not up to Putrajaya to decide that this controversy is over.

Nuclear disarmament is not going to happen if countries continue to arm. It is only by showing that the game will end soon that the world can stop new nations from entering the nuclear pitch.

Why are there so many illegal migrant workers - according to some estimates, close to a million - in Malaysia?

It's ironic that governments are falling over themselves to outdo one another in pledges to the global tsunami fund when they bat not an eyelid as millions die silently from hunger and disease.

The personable premier has one thing going for him - tremendous public goodwill. But the reserves are fast depleting. For now, he gets a B+ for effort, and a C- for substance. We may not be so generous next year.

Pembaca Malaysiakini memilih John Kerry sebagai Presiden baru Amerika. Mereka mengundi melalui Erik Ossemig, seorang rakyat Amerika di Malaysia yang tinggal di Malaysia, yang mahukan mereka membuat pilihan bagi pihaknya.

Anwaristas, alternative media, opposition parties and NGOs, stand up and take a bow. If not for you, there would be no pressure for reforms. Period.

Why would Abdullah Ahmad Badawi go out of his way to stitch a deal with arch-rival PAS to junk the election petitions? Here's why.

Keeping it to kin? You bet. Soon only those with the right family connections will be eligible to be the top leaders of the ruling party.