The blackout of certain news by the mainstream media is a reminder of the obstacles that Malaysians must overcome before press freedom can be truly enjoyed, said an opposition leader today.

DAP chief Lim Kit Siang was referring to the fact that none of the mainstream media carried news of malaysiakini editor Steven Gan's win of the International Press Freedom Award for this year, which was released yesterday by the [#1]Committee to Protect Journalists[/#] (CPJ).

Lim said that the "blackout is a powerful reminder of the distance that must be traversed before Malaysians can enjoy the fresh air of freedom".

"Where newspapers are more than government gazettes, and authoritarian handlers of a muzzled media are made to realise that in the age of information technology, there is no sure and effective way to censor news and information which travel instantaneously on the globe," he added.

Gan will be the first Malaysian journalist to receive the award. He is one of four journalists selected for 2000 to mark the 10th annual awards by CPJ, a New York-based journalist organisation dedicated to the defence of press freedom internationally[#2] (Malaysian journalist wins press freedom award[/#], Oct 24).

The other winners are Bosnia-Herzegovina editor Zeljko Kopanja, publisher Modeste Mutinga from the Democratic Republic of Congo and jailed Iranian reformist editor Mashallah Shamsolvaezin.

The award is to honour journalists "for their great courage in the face of enormous risks", said CPJ chairman Gene Roberts.

Battle not lost

Lim, himself a journalist before starting a full-time career in politics going back three decades, said that Gan's award is a testimony that in the enshrouding darkness of Malaysian journalism, the battle for a free press is still not lost.

However, the inability of Malaysian journalism and journalists to openly celebrate the first international recognition for a Malaysian journalist in the crusade of press freedom serves notice that such a battle is still at a very initial stage, he said.

"Gan is helping to redeem the honour and integrity of many persecuted Malaysian journalists and inspiring all other Malaysian journalists to stand up courageously for the fundamental liberties of freedom of speech, expression and the press," he added.

Meanwhile, DAP Selangor state secretary Wong Ang Peng said that he finds Gan's work and his entire team in malaysiakini "inspiring".

"We only hope that his courage and heroic deeds will further open the hearts and minds of those in the journalism fraternity in Malaysia, particularly those who have lost their sense of objectivity," he said