Working for an Internet newspaper ... ah, that's a challenge, and a rare privilege too, for a whole new vista opens up for me. An initial response was it engenders a feeling of being a pioneer on a special quest, a feeling that rarely springs up in a journalist's breast nowadays in the Malaysian arena.

In the past, there had been some exhilarating moments, yes; but pioneering spirit, no, unfortunately.

So a week ago, with anticipation and a freshman's spirit that belied my age (I hope it showed, the spirit, I mean), I joined a small bandwagon of committed journalists to lend a little more weight to a young but determined team at malaysiakini.

At 52, I consider myself youngish in this field of journalism ... what's 25 years (in the field) when Jurassic creatures date back several thousand? The heart of the matter, I told a dear journalist friend, is that one feels young at heart.

I smile when I recall that it was not that long ago that a local afternoon daily, in an interview with a broadcast journalist who had then chalked up about three years at her network, was described as a "veteran" news hound ... the handle was supposed to be complimentary, I guess. Wonder what that makes me with 10 times the tenure of journalistic experience ... a Jurassic hound?

So what's the difference working for the established print media and this new place? I was lucky to have done time at two leading mainstream print media here, but I wouldn't claim to being one belonging to that "he should know" species just because one has fulfilled the time-service in a particular profession. One would be surprised to learn that some so-called veterans don't even know what "attribution" in media means ... sorry if I digress.

I am glad to report that many constraints that previously applied at the workplace no longer weigh on my present shoulders. I do not have to pause to re-write a reporter's intro into one so that any negative connotations to the country's economic or social condition disappeared into thin air... "We don't want to scare away investors, do we?", although the reality was that businessmen out there were weighed down by heavy debts and declining turnovers.

Hey presto, by some creativity, a new "lead" was born that turned a gloomy scenario into an optimistic one. (Most times, reporters' copies were changed at the editors' behest ... so the blame lay not on the poor newshound; it was the master's voice speaking.)

Even worse, some poor juniors who had worked their guts out to get an exclusive story have had their copies rejected, at the editor's discretion, because of third party interests, pecuniary or peculiar, wise or otherwise.

I even had some advertisers calling to threaten me with personal visits (accompanied by the paper's marketing executive handling their accounts) because I did not treat their requests for news write-ups the way they wanted it. I always welcomed them but their impending courtesy calls remained "pending", to my great disappointment.

I'm aware that newspapers have to turn in profits to pay hefty bonuses (and hence, motivate their staff to raise productivity), but to turn negatives into positives - that bordered on the obscene and it bothered me a lot. And having outsiders with "adex" (that's advertising expenditure) power telling us what to write, that's propositioning (or is it prostituting?).

But hopes spring eternal ... and the Multimedia Super Corridor sprang forth such a spring ... and malaysiakini is among the lucky ones to drink of the spring waters. For this, I must thank our Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad - let's give credit where it's due.

I now don't hesitate to process statements from Opposition leaders like the vocal DAP chairman or PRM chief Dr Syed Husin Ali, or from NGOs some of which are anathema to establishment newspapers. It's not that we go out of the way to cover them, as we seek out with equal zest and fervour the views of the government, and government agencies and departments too. We are committed to telling the stories from both sides now, always. But the two sides must send out their messages to us too.

I'm glad that there are pockets of springtime to be found on the Malaysian landscape still. If the first week at malaysiakini is any indication, I think this springtime at my new niche may outlast any winter yet.