Citizen Journalists (CJs) to add strength to Malaysiakini GE team

Malaysiakini has endorsed a trained grassroots movement for a joint reporting mission in the upcoming general election.

Some 60 of 150 active citizen journalists were issued media tags at a gala dinner last Saturday, in conjunction with the third annual conference of Citizen Journalists Malaysia (CJMY).

This will make them the country’s first volunteer group to provide media coverage of the 13th general election in an organised manner.

They will be deployed in their states of origin and work hand-in-hand with Malaysiakini journalists, in locations such as the Klang Valley, Johor Bahru, Kedah, Penang, Kelantan, Kota Kinabalu and Sarawak.

The CJs had received basic training in journalism and video-recording before being selected for an intensive internship programme at Malaysiakini that began early this year.

Having produced reports and videos that have often prompted swift response from various authorities, the CJMY movement will now be able to live up to its conference tagline, ‘Contributing to The Change’.

Programme manager Maran Perianen said the troop will employ a grassroots-centric method in election coverage, to reflect local sentiments.

“They can highlight what’s happening on the ground by talking to people, to show how the grassroots view the entire electoral process and the candidates,” he said.

During the conference, several CJs were recognised for their contributions.

Sabah-based David Thien won the ‘Best Article’ award for his interview with renowned scientist-turned-monk Ajarn Brahms.

Sathis Kumar from Penang clinched the ‘Best Video’ award for his moving depiction of a diabetes-stricken retiree who lives in a container.

Website updated

An updated version of the CJMY website was also launched, with the addition of extensive social media modules and adoption of a new ranking system among Cjs.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who launched the website during the dinner, commended the CJs for collectively publishing over 1,900 videos and 2,000 reports.

“CJs ... have shaken up political parties, highlighted community struggles, covered religious and ethnic issues and other stories that mainstream media journalists would normally shy away from,” he noted in his speech.

He reminded CJs to keep in mind the values of humanity, professionalism and integrity in writing as these are “elements that make a great story”.

The three-day conference ended on Sunday with a flash mob session at a shopping mall, with 60 of them freezing in motion to demand an end to violence against journalists.

The CJMY programme is powered by International Centre for Journalists, whose vice- president Sharon Moshavi attended the conference.