Screenshots

CNN interviewed Malaysiakini editor Steven Gan on the news portal's 8th Anniversary.

CNN: One last question. What does it mean to be Malaysian?

GAN: I don't think you can get just one answer. In Malaysia the issues of race and religion are so overwhelming that if you ask a Malay Muslim you'll get one answer. If you ask a non-Muslim person such as Chinese, you'll get a different answer.

I'd like to see the issues of race and religion not be the dominant criteria when it comes to how we live as Malaysians. I hope that I will see that day.

I want Malaysiakini to play a role in bringing Malaysians together and to talk and keep talking. I think problems will start if they aren't talking. What is important for Malaysiakini is to get them to keep talking to each other, which is something you don't see in the mainstream media.

I'd love to see the day when Malaysia would not think about race and religion whatsoever. It would be like elsewhere, where religion and race just happen to be in the background. It won't be a major criteria when it comes to applying for licenses, applying for scholarships, whatever.

But it's still a long way to go.

Reporters with Borders. CNN also asked about what is taboo to report on in Malaysia. Steven said:

In Malaysia, religion, race ... those are the two main issues that we would be more careful with. It doesn't mean that we won't do them. In fact, we have a pretty vibrant debate in our discussion forum. I feel like we do need to talk about those issues.

Malaysia is a very complex society. It is multiracial, multilingual, multi-religious ... multi-everything! The problems are so complex that I don't think we should allow the government alone to solve them. It is up to all Malaysians to come together, to come up with a solution.

And to do that, they will need to keep talking to each other. We (Malaysiakini) are providing that forum.

I reckon this general election Malaysiakini has a significant role to play vis-a-vis the politically-controlled mainstream media. That is more interesting to see how truth us being peeled like layers of onion. You will have tears in your eyes if you peel too long.