Seramai 38 ahli parlimen dan dua senator DAP menyertai kempen “beli bata” seunit setiap seorang bagi tujuan pembinaan bangunan Malaysiakini yang baru di Petaling Jaya.

Bendahari parti yang juga ahli Parlimen Bukit Bintang Fong Kui Lun semalam menyerahkan cek bernilai RM40,000.00 kepada CEO Malaysiakini, Premesh Chandran.

Cek tersebut diserahkan di pejabat Malaysiakini, Bangsar Utama oleh Fong, ahli Parlimen Segambut Lim Lip Eng, ahli Parlimen Tanjong Ng Wei Aik dan juga ahli parlimen Seremban Anthony Loke.

Mereka juga dibawa melihat bata yang bakal diukir dengan nama mereka untuk dipasang pada dinding bangunan Malaysiakini yang baru nanti.

“Malaysiakini telah mengubah corak media penyiaran negara menerusi laporan berita yang bebas dan telus.

“Orang ramai mula menyesuaikan diri dan ia menjadi rutin mereka untuk membaca laporan berita Malaysiakini setiap hari,” kata Loke Loke yang juga ketua ahli Parlimen DAP semasa lawatannya semalam.

“Kerana itulah kita semua patut turut menyumbang dalam kempen ini bagi memastikan Malaysiakini terus beroperasi.”

Sementara itu, Premesh menyatakan penghargaannya terhadap sokongan pihak DAP serta berharap ia bertambah bagus setelah berpindah ke pejabat barunya tidak lama lagi.

“Kita mesti terus memastikan semua ahli politik memiliki kebertanggungjawapan,” tegasnya.

Dalam lawatan itu, Lim kelihatan memakai topi Santa Klaus, menceriakan suasana sempena musim perayaan.

RM730,000 telah dikumpulkan

Malaysiakini menyasarkan RM3 juta untuk dikumpulkan sepanjang kempen yang berjalan selama 60 hari. Penaja boleh menaja setiap bata pada nilai RM1,000.00 seunit.

Kempen tersebut bermula sejak 15 Januari lalu, Dana yang dikumpulkan akan digunakan bagi menampung sebahagian kos pembinaan bangunan baru yang diberi nama @Kini.

Kempen tersebut akan diteruskan selama 27 hari lagi dan 500 bata bernilai RM730,000.00 telah mendapat penajaan.

Kempen tersebut turut menawarkan tajaan dari badan-badan korporat yang bernilai RM25,000 dan RM50,000 setiap satu penajaan.

Setiap nama penaja akan diukir pada bata yang ditaja mereka serta akan dipamerkan pada “dinding penghargaan” di bangunan baru tersebut.

Sebagai ganjaran dan penghargaan tajaan mereka, penaja akan menerima langganan serta pengiklanan mengikut nilai tajaan mereka secara percuma.

Bangunan baru tersebut akan terletak di Seksyen 51 Petaling Jaya dan mempunyai keluasan dua kali ganda daripada bangunan Malaysiakini sedia ada.

Ia juga akan dilengkapi dengan ruang forum awam, ruang untuk melaksanakan program-program latihan dan juga ruang pameran.

Beli bata, bersama bina teratak Malaysiakini

Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/249880

Last night’s fund-raising dinner for Malaysiakini’s new premises in Petaling Jaya – @Kini – was a huge success, netting more than RM10,000.

The keynote speaker, Malaysiakini’s 2012 Newsmaker of the Year Ambiga Sreenevasan entertained more than 50 guests gathered at the Chilli Rush restaurant at Jaya One in Petaling Jaya.

The event saw the sale of 10 bricks at RM1,000 each and donations worth several thousand ringgit.

Ambiga delivered a talk on ‘Lessons from Bersih’, in which she impressed the audience with her three-year experience in leading arguably the largest civil society movement in the country.

Ambiga said support for a free media is a must for the road to a free and healthy democracy.

“I really cannot imagine Malaysia without Malaysiakini.

“This whole idea of buying a brick to me is so symbolic because you are not just buying a brick, you are investing in the future of this country, you are investing for a pillar of democracy, an independent and free press,” she said.

The former Bar Council chairperson said Bersih has gained mammoth support from the people because it is a simple, easy to understand cause that appeals to the hearts of the citizens.

In order to fight for changes, she said, one should never give in to intimidation.

“We (in Bersih) learnt it the hard way. They (the BN government) threw everything at us, personally as well as a group. I think we won wide support because of the way we were treated.

“Once you give in to intimidation, they will use it over and over again against you,” she said.

Act as a watchdog, citizens urged

Ambiga also encouraged the people to act as a watchdog and take up active roles in their communities to work for a better standard of accountability and trust in the country.

“Maybe we too should reach out, not just to the opposition but to the BN MPs as well. If they are the MPs in your constituencies, ask them, eyeball to eyeball, is this what they want for their children?”

One of those present, Tan Yong Wei, 23 (left), came clad with the once banned Bersih T-shirt and said he thinks the younger generation should fight for the betterment of the country and support independent media.

“We can get information freely online. We have to spread the true news to our friends, families and everyone around us so they will become more attentive to the issues and real facts about this country,” Tan said.

Mohmiandi @ Andi, 40, won in the bid for a special edition portrait of Ambiga, made with pins.

Andi said he was inspired by her courage and leadership and vowed to follow her footsteps in helping to bring change to the country.

“Well, as what we heard from Datuk Ambiga, the only thing we now have is hope. Hope for a change. With hope, I think my generation can change the country, as how other developed countries are now,” he said.

Malaysiakini CEO Premesh Chandran outlined the company’s ambition to spread its wings and become a beacon of the independent media.

“We want to do even more. We want to cover more areas, more languages and have a bigger presence in Sabah and Sarawak..

“Unless we grow the Internet media, and allow more people to read independent news, it will be very difficult for this country to change,” Premesh said.

RM300,000 raised in two weeks

Malaysiakini is seeking to raise RM3 million by Jan 15 through its ‘Buy a Brick’ campaign.

Since the campaign kicked off last Friday, more than RM300,000 has been received, with another 48 more days of fund-raising to go.

Each supporter will have his or her name embossed on a brick, which will be displayed on an ‘appreciation wall’ in the new building.

In addition, supporters will receive Malaysiakini subscriptions and advertising equal to the amount contributed.

The new building, @Kini, is located in Section 51 of Petaling Jaya and will have nearly double the space available at the existing Malaysiakini office in Bangsar Utama.

It will also provide space for public forums, training programmes and exhibitions.

Please click here for more information on how you can get involved.

Buy a brick, help build a home for Malaysiakini

Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/247809

Penang Gerakan chief Teng Chang Yeow has become the first BN leader in the state to contribute to Malaysiakini’s ‘Buy a Brick’ campaign to raise RM3 million toward the cost of its new premises in Petaling Jaya.

His RM1,000 contribution follows that of other politicians, notably PAS deputy president Mohammed Sabu, former BN Temerloh MP Saifuddin Abdullah and 40 DAP representatives who have pledged a total of RM40,000.

Named @Kini, the semi-detached building situated in the PJ51 Business Park in Section 51, will cost RM7 million, including renovations.

“Mat Sabu (as Mohammad is popularly known) did it for a political purpose. I’m doing it because I support press freedom,” Teng (left) said at the state Gerakan headquarters yesterday.

“He chose the right timing as he was aiming for the PAS deputy president’s post. I am doing it although I lost the post as Gerakan national chief.”

Teng said he wholly supports the need for press freedom as it promotes transparency and accountability in governance, noting that Malaysiakini has been playing this role since its inception in 1999.

“This is despite the many interpretations of what it has done for some political parties, whether for the government or the opposition,” he said.

“To me that is not important. What is important is that we have to uphold the freedom of reporting, professionalism and ethical journalism. (Then) it does not matter if Malaysiakini gives us good, bad, beautiful or ugly publicity.”

Asked his view of the portal’s coverage of issues in Penang, where the BN is in the opposition, he said it should report what both the government and opposition should do, as was done in the case of the state government’s trip to China.

As for reports critical of the BN, Teng said this was to be expected, but also pointed out that politicians seldom thanked journalists when positive reports are published.

“We never openly praise them, thank them or place an advertisement saying ‘thank you very much’ or kiss them in public for giving us good publicity!

“But when they write something bad, there are people who chase them out of press conferences, bar them, take legal action (or) even curse them and make sarcastic remarks, which I think is not right.

“If I have been misquoted, I would say that I failed to express my views well. (But I don’t agree with anyone deliberately) twisting and distorting my statements…”

Returns for support

Since the campaign was launched on Nov 15, some 240 supporters have already bought the bricks, raising a total of RM282,240.

Contributors will have their names engraved on a brick, which will be installed on a wall at the new building.

They will also enjoy RM1,000 worth of subscriptions and advertising.

Corporate contributions of RM25,000 and RM50,000 will be reciprocated with the same quantum of subscriptions and advertising, while smaller contributions are also accepted.

Please click here for more information on how you can get involved.

Buy a brick, help build a home for Malaysiakini

Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/247702

All 40 DAP MPs and senators will participate in Malaysiakini’s “Buy a Brick” campaign to contribute to the news portal’s acquisition of a new office building in Petaling Jaya.

DAP’s chief whip in Parliament, Anthony Loke told Malaysiakini today that all the MPs and senators have agreed to buy a brick for RM1,000 each, which will bring in RM40,000 to help the company reach its target of collecting RM3 million from subscribers and supporters.

“All 38 MPs and two senators will contribute. We have agreed on this matter,” said Loke, who is also Seremban MP and the party’s organising secretary.

“We expect to make the payment late this week, or the latest by next week,” he added.

So far, the initiative has raised RM260,000 since the drive was launched on Nov 15.

Malaysiakini is also looking for corporate sponsors and will have fundraising events in order to help it achieve its RM3 million target.

Other political leaders who have lent their support for the “Buy a Brick” campaign are PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu and former deputy higher education minister Saifuddin Abdullah.

In reaction, Malaysiakini CEO Premesh Chandran welcomed the pledge by DAP MPs.

“It’s a very significant contribution, which the whole of Malaysiakini appreciates.

“We hope that other political parties from both sides of the divide would also lend us the support for Malaysiakini to continue providing the news and views that matter,” he said.

Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/247563

8:07AM Nov 20, 2013

VIDEO | 1:36 mins

PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu yesterday bought a brick to help Malaysiakini purchase a new building in Petaling Jaya.

Mohamad, who is defending his post as PAS number two in the party elections on Friday, said he did it to support media freedom.

The veteran politician, popularly known as Mat Sabu, will have his brick embossed with “Mohd Sabu” as part of Malaysiakini’s ‘Buy a Brick’ campaign launched last Friday.

“I support media freedom. I hope all leaders in Pakatan Rakyat, NGOs and individuals will back this vision as espoused by Malaysiakini.

“I am also supporting Malaysiakini’s bid to have its own building so its staff can carry out their tasks in a more conducive environment,” Mat Sabu said at the portal’s office in Bangsar Utama.

The new building, which is named @Kini, is located in the PJ51 Business Park in Section 51, Petaling Jaya. A semi-detached industrial building within a cluster of eight units, it costs RM6.1 million.

Including renovations, the total cost will be about RM7 million.

137 bricks sold in four days

Individuals who purchase the RM1,000 brick will receive subscription coupons and advertising in Malaysiakini worth the same amount, as well as a brick with their names embossed on it.

The bricks will be used to build an ‘appreciation wall’ in the new building.

@Kini will have enough room for Malaysiakini to expand in the coming years.

In addition to being a bigger work space, it will have a public meeting area, training rooms and an all-purpose video studio.

Malaysiakini is seeking to raise RM3 million over the next two months, through the ‘Buy a Brick’ campaign.

Over the past four days, 137 bricks have been ‘sold’ at a total of RM175,500. The target is to sell 1,000 bricks.

Among the politicians who have pledged support for are Saifuddin Abdullah (Umno), Tony Pua (DAP) and Elizabeth Wong (PKR).

Please click here for more information on how you can get involved.

YOURSAY ‘I will definitely buy one brick and will canvass my friends and relatives in Malaysia and overseas to support this cause.’

Buy a brick, help build a home for Malaysiakini

Cala: What a great idea from Malaysiakini co-founders Steven Gan and Premesh Chandran. I am certain 51 percent of the voters in the 505 (May 5) general election would approve this move by Malaysiakini to be better equipped in carrying out its vision and mission.

Remember, extractive political institutions can only flourish when the media is docile, clueless and unethical. Since the MSM (mainstream media) is already a goner, Malaysiakini is the last bastion of freedom of the press.

Telestai!: Ordinarily, Malaysiakini should be able to operate peacefully but amidst persecution and bullying tactics from Umno, Malaysiakini is having trouble finding a proper building to operate.

Those who care for and love this country should contribute to this worthy cause. If you cannot fork out RM1,000, you could buy a three-year subscription. It will all add up.

Lone_star: I would like to suggest that the ‘Support @Kini’ page has an extra button for those who want to contribute amount less than RM1,000. There must be lots of such supporters out there in 1Mkiniland.

Here’s wishing Malaysiakini a long, long stay in @Kini, and long live “News and Views that Matter”.

Sakit Hati Ku: I agree, every supporter of Malaysiakini should be given a chance to participate in the donation drive, and it is immaterial if the donor’s name is written on the brick.

Perhaps a plague on the wall in appreciation of all donors who are unable to raise RM1,000 each should suffice.

Let the building be a reflection of all decent Malaysians who fight for a better future for Malaysia. You can count me in!

Yeoh Chee Weng: I suggest donations of RM300 to RM500 for retirees. There is no need to compensate us with recognition, though it would be much appreciated if a portion is accepted as advance payment for subscription.

I wish the Malaysiakini management all the success in building a new home and a more secure future.

Dont Just Talk: In addition to the RM1,000 ‘Buy a Brick’ campaign, Malaysiakini should also receive donations of smaller amount – RM100 each from senior citizens/retirees who wished to help Malaysiakini out in getting a permanent building.

Malaysiakini should open a separate current account for such a purpose and there are contributors like me who wished to help.

Pputeh: I, too, am a retiree. RM1,000 is a bit too much from my monthly pension. I love reading Malaysiakini and I’m a subscriber. We can contribute RM50. Don’t forget, small amounts together can go a long way.

Jbsuara: Congratulations to Malaysiakini for going on the path to achieving greater heights. You have make online news reading pleasurable and deliver news (and comments) with much speed.

I read The Star regularly years ago but now I can stop reading print newspapers for news without missing anything. Once again, thank you for the service and I will support you with one brick.

Appum: Well done, Malaysiakini. I will definitely buy one brick and will canvass my friends and relatives in Malaysia and overseas to support this cause. There is no news like Malaysiakini news.

A_Malaysian: It would be better if Malaysiakini issues non-voting shares. I would definitely buy some to show my support even if it never pays a single sen of dividend.

Abasir: This is a milestone event indeed. And thank you for giving Malaysians a voice. Always maintain your objectivity and never descend to the gutter, which, anyway, is fully filled by the MSM.

Malaysians looking to build a better Malaysia will support Malaysiakini… with bricks.

Toonarmy: Good timing. With year-end bonuses, hopefully more bricks will be sold. Just spend some money fortifying the place to defend it against raids by Umno’s minions.

Vijay47: Malaysiakini, you have hanged in there, fought tough fights after tough fights, took on the forces of evil, and now you are forging ahead even more. Next stop surely must be ‘Malaysiakini – The Newspaper!’

I am certain that most of Malaysiakini readers and subscribers will come together to help Malaysiakini raise the necessary funds for the purchase of the building.

It is also great that Malaysiakini will be giving donors commemorative bricks. I for one will request that you make the bricks especially hard – there are quite a few BN politicians I would love to throw the bricks at.

AshrafinKL: I’ve just bought my brick.

RR: From the overwhelming support by Malaysians for Malaysiakini’s new building, we can see how starved are Malaysians for genuine news.

by the response, Malaysiakini need not take a bank loan. I am buying a brick for RM1,000 and I don’t want free subscriptions.

Editor’s note: Thanks for the enthusiastic support as well as suggestions on the ‘Buy a Brick’ campaign. We are incorporating your suggestions in the coming days and this FAQ will help answer some questions. Watch this space.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.