This blog kicks off in malaysiakini today

After days of test runs, this blog finally makes its bow in malaysiakini today. It appears as a link box in the frontpage of the news site and was preceeded with a news story to announce its beginning. I reproduce the news story below:

Mkini editor kicks off World Cup blog
Jun 1, 06 1:00pm

The greatest football show on earth is about to begin in Germany for one month - from June 9 to July 9 - with 32 teams vying for that coveted 2006 World Cup trophy.

In conjunction with this show-stopper, malaysiakini is running a football blog beginning today so that our readers will not miss out on the latest action while they keep up to speed with the political intrigues in Malaysia.

The blog will be written by malaysiakini editor K Kabilan - a die-hard Liverpool fan - who is currently on a one-year sabbatical in England.

“Over the next month or so, I will give my comments and opinions on the tournament. I will try my best to stay away from openly proclaiming my support for any team or any individual player.

“That means any team, or player, playing well will be praised, but expect my utter contempt for poor teams and bad players,” he said.

Kabilan, who is on a British Chevening scholarship, is completing his masters in web journalism in UK’s Sheffield University.

“I will write on what I think is interesting. I will tell about funny incidents that I see during the games. And I will also give a preview and a review of the games. And at times, I might write about any player who catches my eye,” he added.

Why football?

Malaysiakini editor-in-chief Steven Gan said the blog will offer an opportunity for readers to keep up with the latest buzz on the world cup.

“Why are we running a blog on football? The answer is simple - our readers are yearning for a level-playing field,” he added.

Chief executive officer Premesh Chandran said, “Every four years, politics comes to a standstill. It’s a healthy break. We hope our readers will join us on the football blog, providing us with comments and observations.”

The tournament kicks off next Friday with hosts Germany playing Costa Rica in Munich.

Defending champions Brazil kick off their game against Croatia on June 13. Brazil are again the favourites to lift the trophy for the sixth time in the tournament’s 76-year history.