News Archive
New Media and the Informed Citizen International Symposium, 24th July 2009
The New Media and the Informed Citizen Symposium was held in Brisbane at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music on the 24 th July 2009 to a keen group of students, journalists, and interested observers. The guest speakers for the event were:
- Steven Gan, founder and editor-in-chief of Malaysiakini, Malaysia’s premiere online news resource
- R. Nadeswaran (“Citizen Nades”), prominent blogger and investigative journalist for The Sun newspaper
- Graham Young, founder and contributor to Online Opinion and former President of the Liberal Party in Queensland
- Datuk Seri Azman Ujang, former General Manager of Bernama Media, Board Member of Berjaya Media
- Mohd Zulkifli, General Manager Alt Media, the new media arm of Media Prima Berhad
Throughout the day, the speakers gave insightful commentary on their experiences and the use of new media in both Australia and Malaysia. The audience had a unique opportunity to question the speakers directly and draw on their wealth of knowledge and diverse perspectives. During the lunch break, the audience and guest speakers had the opportunity to engage and discuss issues further.
“One of the most invaluable elements of the occasion was the opportunity for the four Malaysian guest speakers and the Australian guest speaker to compare experiences and swap notes. I also feel that it was a rare occasion when our four guest speakers from Malaysia were able to come together and share their own perspectives with each other – something that perhaps in their daily lives they may not get a chance to do,” commented Shona Leppanen-Gibson, one of the project team members.
The Symposium was the culmination of a research project undertaken by Paradigm Infinitum, which has been funded by the Australia-Malaysia Institute. Sponsorship for the project was also provided by Air Asia X, which provided the air tickets for the guest speakers and the project team, and Griffith University, which provided the venue and logistical support. As part of the research project, the project team conducted a series of interviews in Malaysia, including interviews with former Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir, prominent blogger Rocky Bru, and opposition politician and blogger Jeff Ooi.
The project team are currently putting together their research paper, as well as preparing to host the research interviews conducted in Malaysia and the speeches from the Symposium on this project website.
| Above: Mohd Zul detailing Alt Media's online strategy to the audience |
| Below: The Paradigm Infinitum Project Team with the guest speakers (from left) Shona Leppanen-Gibson, Citizen Nades, Datuk Seri Azman Ujang, Kiong Chan, Steven Gan, Mohd Zulkifli, Raj Thanarajah, and Graham Young. |
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Ten Interviews Completed and Five International Guests Confirmed: New Media and the Informed Citizen Project and International Symposium Update
The Paradigm Infinitum project team for “New Media and the Informed Citizen” have just completed ten high profile interviews in Malaysia. The study will examine influence of the Internet and new media on the political process in Australia and Malaysia. The project is funded by the Australia-Malaysia Institute, an arm of the Australian government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
As part of the project, an International Symposium will also be hosted in Brisbane, 24th July 2009. The Symposium will include special guests R. Nadeswaran, renowned journalist and blogger, Steven Gan, co-founder and editor in chief of Malaysiakini, Tian Chua, Parliamentarian and blogger, Graham Young, Chief Editor and Publisher of Online Opinion, former Liberal Party State Vice President, Datuk Azman Ujang, Director of Berjaya Media Berhad and a New Media Specialist from Media Prima Berhad.
"Over the last two weeks we have interviewed people from politics, the media, and the corporate world. Interestingly, almost every interviewee was also a blogger, which demonstrates the profound influence of new media on Malaysian society in general," said Shona Leppanen-Gibson.
The interviewees were:
- Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the former long-serving Prime Minister of Malaysia
- Mr Ragunath Kesavan, President of the Malaysian Bar Council
- Tunku Abdul Aziz, the well respected former head of Transperancy International Malaysia and current Vice-President of the Democratic Action Party
- Mr Jeff Ooi, well known blogger and Member of Parliament
- Mr Khairy Jamaluddin, Member of Parliament and UMNO Youth chief
- Mr Din Merican, renowned corporate identity and blogger for Parti Keadilan Rakyat (the Malaysian Opposition)
- Mr Tian Chua, Member of Parliament and information chief for Parti Keadilan Rakyat
- Mr Rocky Bru, journalist, editor of The Malay Mail, President of the National Press Club and President of the National Alliance of Bloggers
- Datuk Ahmad A Talib, Executive Director of News for Media Prima
- Datuk A Kadir Jasin, Editor-in-Chief of Berita Publishing
Paradigm Infinitum have a project website to host the interviews, transcripts, information and pictures from the symposium and the final report at www.paradigminfinitum.com/NMIC.
For more information about the Symposium click here.
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Picture from left: Khairy Jamaluddin, Member of Parliament and UMNO Youth Chief being interviewed by Shona Leppanen-Gibson, Kiong Chan and Vicknaraj Thanarajah (Raj) at Parliament |
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Picture from left: Vicknaraj Thanarajah (Raj), Rocky Bru, prominent blogger and journalist, Shona Leppanen-Gibson, and Kiong Chan |
Queensland Team Scores Rare Interview with Malaysian Icon, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad
A team of researchers from Queensland has scored a rare interview opportunity with Malaysian Icon, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The team from Brisbane-based firm Paradigm Infinitum are currently working on the project “New Media and the Informed Citizen”, a comparative study of the influence of the Internet and new media on the political process in Australia and Malaysia. The project is funded by the Australia-Malaysia Institute, an arm of the Australian government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The opportunity to interview Tun Dr Mahathir was a major coup for the project team, given his incredible influence and leadership of Malaysia over decades, as well as his current interest in new media, contributing to public opinion through his blog “Chedet.” (www.chedet.cc) Tun Dr Mahathir was incredibly gracious and his comments insightful and sincere, adding a very interesting perspective to the project. Interestingly, he commented that he saw the interview as an opportunity to redress “the negative perception that Australians have of me.”
The team members, Kiong Chan, Shona Leppanen-Gibson, and Vicknaraj (Raj) Thanarajah were all struck by how sharp, succinct and perceptive his responses were. “He certainly has lost none of his trademark wit and charisma,” commented Shona Leppanen-Gibson.
“It was a real honour and privilege to meet Tun. As I grew up in Malaysia during Tun’s reign as Prime Minister, I must admit I was very nervous, but he was so hospitable and generous with his time and his responses, I was put at ease almost immediately,” said Raj Thanarajah.
“Interviewing Tun Dr Mahathir is indeed a rare opportunity. His contribution and legacy to Malaysian society is legendary and I am still amazed that we were granted this privilege,” said Kiong Chan.
As part of the project, the team will be hosting an international symposium in Brisbane on the 24 th July. With special guests from Malaysia including renowned international journalist R. Nadeswaran, and Steven Gan, founder and editor in chief of Malaysia’s premiere online news resources, Malaysiakini, the symposium will examine issues of freedom of speech, government policy, censorship, access of new media and the interplay between politics and new media.
An edited version of Tun Dr Mahathir’s interview will be available on the project website shortly as well as transcripts.
Picture from left: Vicknaraj Thanarajah, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Shona Leppanen-Gibson and Kiong Chan at the Perdana Foundation, Putrajaya, Malaysia
Paradigm Infinitum Wins DFAT Grant for New Media Project
Paradigm Infinitum has been successful in its bid for a grant from the Australia-Malaysia Institute, a unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The grant will support a research project entitled “New Media and the Informed Citizen: A Comparative Study of Malaysia and Australia” . The project will encompass a research paper, an ongoing web presence and a symposium scheduled for Friday 24 July 2009, to be held in Brisbane.
The project was inspired by observations and anecdotal evidence of the influence of new media particularly in the Malaysian twelfth General Elections held in 2008. “The influence of new media on the political spectrum is a fairly new phenomenon and can be seen in elections around the world. But the evolution and integration of online media into the political process in Malaysia can be seen as more advanced than what we experience in an Australian context. So we want to examine this issue from a social-cultural, legal and political perspective, and particularly juxtapose the context of the Malaysian political sphere to the Australian,” said Shona Leppanen-Gibson.
The project team, comprising Shona Leppanen-Gibson, Kiong Chan, and Vicknaraj Thanarajah (Raj) will also be flying to Malaysia to conduct interviews with political leaders, policy makers, prominent commentators and Internet users. Besides the support of the Australia Malaysia Institute, Paradigm Infinitum will also be partnering with Griffith University.
Confirmed guests for the symposium include Steven Gan, founder and editor of Malaysiakini, Malaysia's premiere online news resource, R. Nadeswaran, otherwise known as "Citizen Nades", renowned investigative journalist and blogger, and Graham Young, chief editor and publisher of Online Opinion.
Please stay posted for more information, or contact Paradigm Infinitum directly for the latest news.
