The independent online media has been likened to a "smart mouse" that is able to pose a great challenge to media conglomerates in terms of articulating issues which transcend racial and religious boundaries.

Issues which the mainstream media are not willing to take up can be published by the online media, said malaysiakini Chinese edition columnist Yang Bai Yang.

That is the difference between a controlled media and the free and independent media, he said at the first anniversary celebration of the Chinese edition in Kuala Lumpur Tuesday evening.

Yang, who was a columnist for Chinese newspaper previously, had his columns withdrawn due to political pressure. He started writing for malaysiakini Chinese edition when the website was launched a year ago.

He urged Malaysians to back the independent media industry so that it could survive the challenging market forces as well as pressures from various quarters which harbour fear and resentment towards the free press.

Around 150 people attended the Chinese Edition first birthday bash at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall. The auditorium was packed with readers, columnists, Chinese educationists, activists, politicians and students.

New Era College media studies lecturer Por Heong Hong who also spoke at the function, commented that malaysiakini had played its role in offering news from angles which are different from the mainstream media.

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However, she observed that readers in the Chinese edition are less articulative and passionate about public issues and discussions, saying that she based her judgement on the responses and articles written by readers in the different websites.

Another malaysiakini columnist, Lee Ban Chen told the gathering that an independent and balance media is important in engaging different societal forces to dialogue on a wide range of important issues.

"We need a balance and good media to lead in public opinion and we must support it to enable its continued presence," he added.

Others who spoke at the event included malaysiakini CEO Premesh Chandran and chief editor Steven Gan.

The Chinese website editor, Yong Kai Ping, hosted the two-hour function which also saw the attendance of DAP Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, the party's NGO head Ronnie Liu, PKR information chief Tian Chua and representatives of several NGOs including Dong Jiao Zong, Writers Alliance for Media Independence, SOS Damansara and Asia Student Association.