Some much needed perspective on world media

At least we're not blogging in Malaysia:

One of Malaysia's most prominent bloggers and a high-profile critic of the government has gone on trial for sedition.

Raja Petra Kamarudin, who is already being held under Malaysia's Internal Security Act (ISA), could be sentenced to three years in jail if he is convicted.

In an entry on his Web site - Malaysia Today - he allegedly implied that Malaysia's deputy prime minister, Najib Tun Razak, was involved in the high-profile murder of a young Mongolian woman.

Raja Petra denies the allegation and supporters have criticised what they say is a government attempt to gag critics and suppress freedom of speech[...]

Malaysian officials have already said Raja Petra will be detained for at least two years without trial under the ISA – a colonial-era law that allows for indefinite detention at the discretion of the country's home minister.

He was arrested last month after allegedly publishing articles that the government said insulted Islam, inflamed racial tensions and tarnished the country's leadership.

Critics have called for the ISA to be scrapped, saying a law that was introduced when communist fighters threatened national security is now being used to suppress legitimate political opposition.

This actually isn't all that far from what the dearly departed New York Sun would have wanted in the good 'ol U.S. and A.