Malaysiakini editor-in-chief steps down after 23 years with company

Malaysiakini’s editor-in-chief, Steven Gan, has stepped down after leading the independent news site’s editorial team for nearly 23 years. Gan will be taking on a nominal role as the site’s editor-at-large. A+M has reached out to Malaysiakini for a statement.

Malaysiakini was founded by Gan and Premesh Chandran in 1999, initially as a social enterprise that aimed to serve the common good and evade the country’s strict censorship of media, according to its website. Chandran also stepped down last year after 22 years with the company. He had first made the announcement in 2019, but held on to the role until 2022 due to the pandemic.

Malaysiakini is published in four languages – English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil – reaching over 2.5 million readers every month with coverage of political and current affairs.

According to the company, it aims to achieve this independence by allowing editors and journalists the full freedom to practise professional and ethical journalism, without interference of the shareholders, advertisers or government.

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