Malaysiakini to Merdeka Review's aid
Published: Jun 6, 2011 3:45 AM | Updated: Jun 6, 2011 3:03 PM
Staff of Malaysiakini have risen to the aid of independent Chinese news portal Merdeka Review , which may face closure because its funders have abruptly backed out the venture.
Staff of Malaysiakini have risen to the aid of independent Chinese news portal Merdeka Review, which may face closure because its funders have abruptly backed out the venture.
They bid RM3,200 and won one of four paintings by Malaysiakini’s Penang-based journalist Susan Loone, who had donated these for auction online as part of the ‘Save Merdeka Review’ campaign.
The painting (left) entitled ‘Racial Harmony’ depicts women of different enthic origins and reflects Loone’s hopes for a truly multi-racial Malaysia.
The other three paintings - ‘Goddess of the Red Sun, Yellow Moon and Blue Skies’; ‘Goddess of the Garden, of Butterflies and Flowers, of Spring’; and ‘Goddess without a Name’ - were bought by a Merdeka Review supporter who bid RM10,000.
Said Loone: “I grew up in small towns like Setiawan and on the outskirts of small towns like Kuantan where the spirit of muhibbah really influenced my life and worldview. The deepening polarisation and politics of race today have deeply saddened me.”
A self-taught artist, Loone said she took up a suggestion to auction her paintings, describing this as “a small contribution compared to the amount of support they need”.
“My colleagues in Malaysiakini have not only proven they have a penchant for truth but also the solidarity that is so lacking these days among journalists, that it gives the authorities the power to wield their dictatorship over the press.
“At the end of the day, it is not the money that matters...even RM1 would have sufficed for this donation. It is the spirit of solidarity among journalists that cuts across language and ethnicity, that really makes a difference in our restrictive media environment.”
Merdeka Review was to have been shut down on June 1, but managed to raise about RM150,000 through a donation drive to extend its operations for two and a half months. It needs about RM60,000 a month to sustain the website.
Its hope is to raise RM300,000 to keep the website going for six months while gaining time to talk to long-term investors. It recently announced that several investors have shown interest, and that it is confident of surviving the crisis.
Merdeka Review began as a Chinese-language news site in 2005 and started a Bahasa Malaysia section two years ago.
Challenging views about women
Carolyn Khor, a Komunikiti citizen journalist who reviewed Loone’s work, said the artwork carries a strong social message and portrays the role of women in society.
The women in the paintings depict truth, sisterhood, motherhood, racial harmony, companionship and a strong will.
“I paint the women in the nude to challenge people’s minds about women,” Loone is quoted as saying, adding that she draws inspiration from her mother, journalistic experiences and what she observes and feel around her.
Loone’s work went on display for the first time at the The Creative Women’s Art exhibition, as part of the month-long International Women’s Day celebrations in Penang.
Also displayed were the works of Jennifer Mourin, another self-taught artist, and international fashion designer Joan Cheong.
They bid RM3,200 and won one of four paintings by Malaysiakini’s Penang-based journalist Susan Loone, who had donated these for auction online as part of the ‘Save Merdeka Review’ campaign.
The painting (left) entitled ‘Racial Harmony’ depicts women of different enthic origins and reflects Loone’s hopes for a truly multi-racial Malaysia.The other three paintings - ‘Goddess of the Red Sun, Yellow Moon and Blue Skies’; ‘Goddess of the Garden, of Butterflies and Flowers, of Spring’; and ‘Goddess without a Name’ - were bought by a Merdeka Review supporter who bid RM10,000.
Said Loone: “I grew up in small towns like Setiawan and on the outskirts of small towns like Kuantan where the spirit of muhibbah really influenced my life and worldview. The deepening polarisation and politics of race today have deeply saddened me.”
A self-taught artist, Loone said she took up a suggestion to auction her paintings, describing this as “a small contribution compared to the amount of support they need”.
“My colleagues in Malaysiakini have not only proven they have a penchant for truth but also the solidarity that is so lacking these days among journalists, that it gives the authorities the power to wield their dictatorship over the press. “At the end of the day, it is not the money that matters...even RM1 would have sufficed for this donation. It is the spirit of solidarity among journalists that cuts across language and ethnicity, that really makes a difference in our restrictive media environment.”
Merdeka Review was to have been shut down on June 1, but managed to raise about RM150,000 through a donation drive to extend its operations for two and a half months. It needs about RM60,000 a month to sustain the website.
Its hope is to raise RM300,000 to keep the website going for six months while gaining time to talk to long-term investors. It recently announced that several investors have shown interest, and that it is confident of surviving the crisis.
Merdeka Review began as a Chinese-language news site in 2005 and started a Bahasa Malaysia section two years ago.
Challenging views about women
Carolyn Khor, a Komunikiti citizen journalist who reviewed Loone’s work, said the artwork carries a strong social message and portrays the role of women in society.
The women in the paintings depict truth, sisterhood, motherhood, racial harmony, companionship and a strong will.“I paint the women in the nude to challenge people’s minds about women,” Loone is quoted as saying, adding that she draws inspiration from her mother, journalistic experiences and what she observes and feel around her.
Loone’s work went on display for the first time at the The Creative Women’s Art exhibition, as part of the month-long International Women’s Day celebrations in Penang.
Also displayed were the works of Jennifer Mourin, another self-taught artist, and international fashion designer Joan Cheong.
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