The internet is such a special creation. Its borderless nature, accessible to anyone in any part of the globe at the push of a button, provides information to anyone as and when they need it.
Similarly, the same flat structure of the internet also provides opportunities to any individual to have their own space and exposure to the world via a tool of mass media. It presents the average Asian will an opportunity to stamp his mark online.
Asia has seen a number of businesses make a presence for themselves starting from just having a website in the virtual world. As more and more of Asia obtains broadband, 3G and even WiMax access, the online market increases and more and more people recognise the internet’s potential as a cheap and wide reaching entry point for business.
Here are just a few notable online movers and shakers in Malaysia:
a. Realestate.net.my: a simple, typical mode of a successful website, the site ranks 118,909 on Alexa at the time of writing and provides free use of a forum and property listings. In exchange, it shows a multitude of Google ads at strategically placed locations, no doubt taking a small sum out of Google Adsense for little effort at all.
b. Malaysiakini.com.my: Founded by a former mainstream journalist wishing for more latitude in his reporting than possible in pro-government mainstream newspapers, this online newspaper was started online and hence enjoys the benefit of not requiring a press and printing licence that its mainstream contemporaries do. Accordingly, the prospect of having its licence cancelled does not constrain its every move. The public enjoys the comparatively frank reporting coming out of its website and indeed, it has probably done its bit to give more wholesome reports on socio-political issues in Malaysia. All this, whilst raking in a bit of cash for itself.
c. Kennysia.com: Malaysia’s No. 1 blog comes from Kuching, East Malaysia, by former IT professional who studied in Perth. With his amusing wit and positive slant on issues, he tells all about the transition of returning from Perth to Kuching, trumpets his love for Kuching now and whips up a joke or two about current issues and happenings around the region.
