Malaysiakini would put Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's promise not to censor the Internet to the test, said regional magazine Far Eastern Economic Review in its Jan 20 issue. According to an article written by correspondent S. Jayasankaran, " Malaysiakini illustrates the challenges posed by the Internet to a government used to controlling the flow of information to the public." It added that many websites which had mushroomed since the arrest of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim had operated under the cover of anonymity, making it impossible for the government to take action. "Not so at Malaysiakini - even editorial comment in the paper carries a byline," said the article titled "Testing the Limits".

However, moves to quiet the website could lead to a noisy battle, said the article. "Analysts will be watching the government's treatment of Malaysiakini for indications of its commitment to free speech on the Internet and to the Multimedia Super Corridor."

Describing the website as "brassy and bold", the article added that "Kuala Lumpur has so far resolutely ignored the website". "The mainstream media, however, has started picking up stories from the paper, though its news is attributed only to 'an Internet website'," it added.

Malaysiakini

, the country's first commercial online newspaper, is funded by a number of local investors including editor Steven Gan and business advisor Premesh Chandran. In addition, it also receives a US$100,000 seed capital from the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (Seapa).

Seapa is a newly formed coalition of journalists' associations from three "free press" countries, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Members include the Alliance of Independent Journalists (Indonesia), Indonesia Institute for Studies in the Free Flow of Information, Indonesia Centre for Media Freedom and Responsibility, Philippine Centre for Investigative Journalism, and Reporters Association of Thailand.

The Jan 20 issue of FEER is currently being sold in news stands around the country.