Young Journalists Inform and Inspire Rural Citizens
Still highly regulated and tightly controlled, mainstream Malaysian media does not always provide independent news and limits public participation in journalism. The Internet, however, is relatively uncensored in Malaysia—and its popularity among young people is widespread and deepening. In order to increase the space for freedom of expression, and to create a public platform for disadvantaged people and communities, we launched a 12-month effort with The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) to train young journalists who can use their writing to illuminate issues and rights for people in Sabah, a large but poor state. The project also seeks to improve the availability of credible, professional local news. Young journalists actively train in the basics of journalism and online media, and courses include newswriting, editing, ethics, and an exploration of both independent media and Malaysian media ownership and control. As a result of this publication, more than 100 young people have participated in the workshops and related roundtable discussions, and many frequently now file for Voices of Young Borneo, a website created by CIJ. "Land confiscation and relocation in rural communities are covered up, blacked out," says one budding journalist. "The public should know about these issues, and we're writing, uploading, and sharing through the Internet."