It has been a long and hard journey, but despite the trials and tribulations, malaysiakini's Chinese version celebrates its first birthday today.

The four-member team spearheaded by editor Yong Kai Ping has managed to carve a name for itself in the industry and capture the heart of the Chinese community within a short period.

The team has come up with numerous exclusive reports and startling interviews with luminaries from the community.

Yong (second from left) attributed the achievement to the hard work of his team which comprises journalists Ng Ling Fong, Kuek Ser Kuang Keng and advertising/subscription executive See Tho Chee Seong.

He also expressed gratitude to the readers for their support and credited the Chinese version's columnists for their thought provoking articles which have become a hit with the community.

"The Chinese version has gained much attention and support. We had several exclusives such as the corruption among headmasters in Chinese primary schools, the forced eviction of pig farmers in Malacca, the campus election controversy and the monopolisation of the Chinese media and many more," he said.

"With the establishment of the Chinese and Malay editions, malaysiakini is the only news organisation in this country that is trilingual. We work hard to portray a balanced and fair coverage of the issues. We are also committed to our goal in increasing the understanding and tolerance between the various races in this country.

"I would like to thank all our readers, friends and supporters for believing in us. We hope that we will be able to build a better Malaysia together," he added

Celebration

In conjunction with the first anniversary, a modest celebration will be held at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) at 7.30pm today.

The event, which is open to public, is co-organised by the KLSCAH civil rights committee.

There will also be a forum to discuss the impact of the Chinese online media in Malaysia over the past year. Malaysiakini columnist Yang Bai Yang's will also launch his new book Tian Xia Tai Ping (All is not quiet)

The forum, to be chaired by Yong, will feature Yang, another malaysiakini columnist and renowned Chinese educationist Lee Ban Chen and New Era College Media Studies Department lecturer Por Heong Hong as speakers.

Malaysiakini chief executive officer Premesh Chandran will also be present to talk about the company's future plans and ventures.

Those who attend the event will also have the opportunity to subscribe to malaysiakini at a discounted price.