Unspun

Can’t help noticing the difference in tone when it comes to celebrating World Press Freedom Day between Indonsia and Jakarta.

The day goes by without much fanfare. Most blogs do not even mention the day. The Jakarta Post editorial was thankful that Indonesia has press freedom but prescribed eternal vigilance and the need for the press to keep its house in order as freedom is anything but free.

Across the Straits of Malacca, Malaysia observed the day with bloggers, among other things, lamenting the lack of press freedom (see here), stories about the trial of two bloggers being sued by the New Straits Times (see here and here) and news that the National Union of Journalists wants the government to acknowledge bloggers (see here and here).

What a contrast, and one that comes about because one country already has press freedom and the other country doesn’t.