Book on Malaysiakini to be launched on Sunday

An academic book detailing Malaysiakini’s long journey from 1999 to the present will be launched at Gerakbudaya on Sunday.

The book titled ‘Malaysiakini and the Power of Independent Media in Malaysia’ was written by journalism scholar Janet Steele and provides a critical behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of Malaysiakini.

“It looks at the history of modern Malaysia through the lens of Malaysiakini.

“By focusing on significant moments in Malaysiakini’s history, it illustrates how seemingly intractable problems get worked out within Malaysia’s only truly independent newsroom,” she wrote in the introduction to her book.

The book also looks into how the news portal approaches sensitive topics like race and religion.

It also contains a biography of Malaysiakini’s co-founders Steven Gan and Premesh Chandran, and their journey leading up to the founding of the news portal.

Steele, who teaches at George Washington University in the US, was first introduced to Malaysiakini in 2007 and soon began visiting its office regularly - interviewing key people in the organisation as part of her research for the book.

The book’s Malaysian launch in Gerakbudaya, Petaling Jaya on Sunday will take place at 2pm.

Among those who will attend the event are Premesh (Malaysiakini’s former CEO) and Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin - who introduced Steele to the news portal back in 2007.

Those who want to order the book now can do so through the publisher National University of Singapore (NUS) Press’s website.

Malaysiakini readers are entitled to a 20 percent discount on the book by using the code JSMAL20 during checkout.

BOOK REVIEW | Sang Kancil - a rare book of hope and deliverance

Fixi Lingo: New imprint translates local novels into BM

COMMENT | Why an RCI on Thomas' book?

COMMENT | Media's role to keep new regime in check