Malaysiakini
Pioneering independent online news portal in Malaysia offering multi-language news.
Malaysiakini at a glance
Malaysiakini is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in Malaysia, currently ranked #2 in the country. It was founded in 1999 by Steven Gan, Premesh Chandran and is headquartered in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Today Malaysiakini is owned by Mkini Dotcom Sdn Bhd. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 11.5 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through digital subscriptions, banner advertising. Its closest rivals include thestar.com.my, freemalaysiatoday.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 10.8 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 11.2 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 11.5 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 12.2 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in Malaysia, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- Malaysia86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 3.4 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- Malaysia
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| malaysiakini | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the Malaysia web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in Malaysia
Company information
- Website
- malaysiakini.com
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Mkini Dotcom Sdn Bhd
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- Steven Gan, Premesh Chandran
- Founded
- 1999
- Headquarters
- Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
- Employees
- 100+
- Ownership
- Mkini Dotcom Sdn Bhd controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $5 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English, Malay, Chinese, Tamil
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $5 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Malaysiakini operates a news and media publisher focused on Malaysia. Pioneering independent online news portal in Malaysia offering multi-language news. Revenue comes mainly from digital subscriptions, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Digital Subscriptions
- Banner Advertising
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- Malaysia
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (Malaysia)
- #2 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in Malaysia
- Global rank
- 4800
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| thestar.com.my | ≈ 6.9 million / month | #3 class competitor | — |
| freemalaysiatoday.com | ≈ 5.2 million / month | #4 class competitor | — |
What is Malaysiakini?
Malaysiakini (malaysiakini.com) is a news and media publisher serving users in Malaysia. Pioneering independent online news portal in Malaysia offering multi-language news. It ranks #2 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns Malaysiakini?
The site is operated by Mkini Dotcom Sdn Bhd, founded by Steven Gan, Premesh Chandran. The company was established in 1999 and is headquartered in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. It employs around 100+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Malaysiakini at roughly 11.5 million visits per month, about 0.4 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How Malaysiakini makes money
Revenue comes primarily from digital subscriptions, alongside banner advertising.
Competitors in Malaysia
Its closest rivals include thestar.com.my, freemalaysiatoday.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1999
Malaysiakini is founded in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #2 among the most visited websites in Malaysia.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Malaysiakini?
Malaysiakini is operated by Mkini Dotcom Sdn Bhd. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Malaysiakini headquartered?
Malaysiakini is headquartered in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
When was Malaysiakini founded?
Malaysiakini was founded in 1999 by Steven Gan, Premesh Chandran.
How many employees does Malaysiakini have?
Malaysiakini employs approximately 100+ people.
What is Malaysiakini's revenue?
Malaysiakini's revenue: ≈ $5 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are Malaysiakini's competitors?
Main competitors in Malaysia include thestar.com.my, freemalaysiatoday.com.
How does Malaysiakini make money?
Mainly digital subscriptions, banner advertising.
Is Malaysiakini publicly traded?
No — Malaysiakini is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Mkini Dotcom Sdn Bhd.
How many visitors does Malaysiakini get?
Third-party estimates place Malaysiakini at roughly 11.5 million visits per month, mostly from Malaysia, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is Malaysiakini safe?
Malaysiakini is an established news & media site founded in 1999 and ranked #2 in Malaysia; use the official domain malaysiakini.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsmalaysiakini.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageMalaysia and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos