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Malaysia ascends Freedom of Press Index. Is it enough?
Areeshya Thevamanohar
Areeshya Thevamanohar is a political science student studying at King’s College London. She remains highly optimistic about the progress our youths will bring to Malaysia.
A celebratory feat amidst the backdrop of gloomier circumstances, Malaysia saw a rise in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) 2020 Freedom of Press Index. The 180 countries in the report are ranked based on several factors:
Malaysia has seen the most significant jump for 2020 – leaping 22 spots to 101 on the index. This year, Malaysia outranked its neighbours with Singapore scoring 158, Thailand 140, Brunei 152, and Indonesia 119. Malaysia’s advancement positively indicates to both the country and the global community that development is ongoing; and the notice is prevalent.
Freedom House releases yearly reports ranking various elements required for a democracy on a point-based system. One of these elements comprises the Freedom of Expression and Belief. To understand how Malaysia performs in this sector, they pose questions such as “Are there free and independent media?” and “Are individuals free to express their personal views on political or other sensitive topics without fear of surveillance or retribution?”. Malaysia has scored an impressive three out of four points in total for both.
The report credits the 14th General Elections (GE14) in 2018 as a notable factor. Before this, Barisan Nasional (BN) had control over most private news publications, television and radio stations as well as state news outlets. The production of content, therefore, had to align with political views, or else journalists and the news outlets themselves faced risks of persecution. It was when the opposing party, Pakatan Harapan (PH), came into power that they pledged to reform restrictive media laws, taking forward-looking measures such as repealing the Anti-Fake News Act which BN had adopted. This Act prescribed hefty fines and a possibility of up to six years imprisonment for dispersing incorrect content.
These milestones are worth celebrating; after all, progress by any measure is still a step in the right direction. Yet, the unprecedented political situation currently happening raises questions about whether it has veered us off the track to a better democracy. Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, Communications and Multimedia Minister has reiterated the present government’s commitment to ensuring national press freedom in his address for World Press Freedom Day. He also shared his delight at Malaysia’s achievement in moving up the ranking, which suggests hope that reforming the rules placed on the media will continue to be a priority.
Suhakam also called for more from the government. The Commission has requested the establishment of an independent media council. It has also suggested the reformation or abolishment of the “archaic laws” that continue to prevail such as the Sedition Act 1948, the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984; Section 505b of the Penal Code; and Section 211 and 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. These laws still pose a serious threat to members of the media, stifling further progress within the media and communications sphere.
Revelling in the progress made is highly encouraged, but the next step is to push for more profound change. The RSF describes Malaysia’s media climate as “fresh air, but archaic laws endure.” The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) on World Press Freedom Day has said that this year’s theme of “Journalism without Fear or Favour” emphasises the importance of respecting the fundamental right of freedom of opinion and expression. Suhakam said that journalists and independent news producers must be protected so they can execute their roles free from fear of consequences.
A reason for concern comes from the news this week that Malaysian authorities are investigating reporter Tashny Sukumaran, the Kuala Lumpur (KL) correspondent of the Hong-Kong based South China Morning Post. Her investigation falls under Section 504 of the Penal Code; “intentional insult with intent to provoke a break of the peace” and under Section 223 of the 1998 Communications and Multimedia Act; “improper use of network facilities or network service.” The article that triggered the investigation was about the arrests of hundreds of migrant workers on May 1st in KL’s COVID-19 “red zones” despite the health ministry’s assurance that migrants had “nothing to fear” if they came forward for coronavirus testing.
The investigation contradicts the improvements Malaysia has accredited. The RSF has publicly asked for the “absurd” charges against Tashny Sukumaran to be dropped, warning that this highlights a contrast between words and action. Malaysia is not just at risk of a standstill in progress; we risk falling back to old patterns. Free press and democracy walk hand in hand. So as we commemorate this achievement, it is necessary to keep the momentum going and ensure the health of this nation’s democracy continues to strengthen.
Bibliography
https://rsf.org/en/news/malaysian-police-investigate-reporter-who-covered-covid-19-arrests
https://freedomhouse.org/country/malaysia/freedom-world/2020
optimistic about the progress our youths will bring to Malaysia.