According to the index, freedom of press in Malaysia in 2009 was at its all time lowest. Malaysia had dropped to 39.02 points compared with 44.25 in previous year.
The drop is attributed to several measures by the federal government to suppress media voice.
This view was expressed by The Sun’s political editor Zainon Ahmad at a forum -- "Is It Necessary to Regulate the Print Media in Malaysia" -- organised by the National Union of Journalists yesterday.
...
The same forum also addressed the obstruction faced by the media when reporting certain cases.
Zainon said the tightening of media leash was often attributed to the government’s concern over inter-racial harmony.
“We must not disturb or touch on sensitivities and civil harmony... but this is only an excuse. It has resulted in many unsolved issues although it's been 52 years since independence," Zainon said.
UiTM emeritus professor of law Shad Saleem Faruqi, meanwhile, said the 52 years had not seen any change or amendment to the regulations governing press freedom.
He said although in principle the federal constitution allowed individuals to challenge a minister in court, it was almost next to impossible to do so in this country. CLICK HERE for more.
You may also want to check out the report on Malaysia written by Reporters without Borders AT THIS LINK.
Another article worth reading is English Language Media A Double-Edged Sword?
Here are the statistics for the Press Freedom Index 2009 taken from HERE.
Rank Country Mark
1 Denmark 0,00
2 Finland 0,00
3 Ireland 0,00
4 Norway 0,00
5 Sweden 0,00
6 Estonia 0,50
7 Netherlands 1,00
8 Switzerland 1,00
9 Iceland 2,00
10 Lituania 2,25
11 Belgium 2,50
skip to No 100
100 Guinea 28,50
101 Indonesia 28,50
102 Mauritania 28,50
103 Burundi 29,00
104 Côte d’Ivoire 29,00
105 India 29,33
106 Guatemala 29,50
107 Oman 29,50
108 USA (extra-territorial) 30,00
109 Cameroon 30,50
110 Djibouti 31,00
111 Armenia 31,13
112 Jordan 31,88
113 Tajikistan 32,00
114 Moldova 33,75
115 Sierra Leone 34,00
116 Congo 34,25
117 Cambodia 35,17
118 Nepal 35 ,63
119 Angola 36,50
120 Bahrein 36,50
121 Bangladesh 37,33
122 Philippines 38,25
123 Turkey 38,25
124 Venezuela 39,50
125 Kyrgyzstan 40,00
126 Colombia 40,13
127 Morocco 41,00
128 Honduras 42,00
129 Gabon 43,50
130 Thailand 44,00
131 Malaysia 44,25
132 Chad 44,50
133 Singapore 45,00
134 Madagascar 45,83
135 Nigeria 46,00
CLICK HERE for more.
So are we proud of our ranking? While we may yearn for a free press, I believe a responsible press is also very important. We all know who are the MSM culprits who have not been reporting responsibly and who instead of bringing the rakyat together, have been driving wedges of differences between various communities. Tragically, next to nothing has been done to rein them in so they write away for their masters' pleasure and agenda. Of late, we have read about NTV7 producer Joshua Chong who resigned because of certain reasons. Can the press then enjoy real freedom to report the truth and to carry out investigative reporting or will there be a shroud around them for reasons left unsaid?
Freedom is one of the most precious possessions that we can have. For centuries, men have fought and died for freedom and this is still continuing today. As we all know, there are many in the world who have sacrificed comfort in life and freedom as a result of expressing what is in their hearts.
Freedom of speech refers to the right of the individual to express his views about matters of interest to him/her whilst freedom of the press would refer to the freedom of written word in printed form and that BOTH refer to the freedom of THOUGHT and are the outward expressions of our THOUGHTS.
Freedom of speech is not the freedom to hurt or harm others. Yet, some in our society who do the latter most insidiously, using others to hurt others be it in the political arena or in society. Personally, I strongly advocate that freedom should stem from a full, creative life which is satisfying for ourselves and can lead to the betterment and growth of society.
The ability to think and to speak are the two abilities that distinguish us from lower life forms. Thus, to me, the denial of these two basic freedoms is a DENIAL OF MAN’S HUMANITY!!! As long as conditions are repressive, thought processes cannot function normally.
A society that muzzles the press and the freedom of opinion may be equated with one that forbids THINKING and in doing so, will pave the way for it to stagnate. There is more to life than physical comfort and the possession of luxury items or non-essential comforts of life. Freedom of speech is fundamental to the functioning of democracy.
Intelligent opinions and constructive criticisms should not be smothered, for such suppression can create a groundswell that is inimical to the government. MSM and new media writers must always remember that views that are inimical to the state, if given free scope, can spell disaster e.g. sowing the seeds of discord. History shows that in countries where restrictions were placed on such freedoms, the dictatorial regimes fell. This happened in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan etc. where the rulers insulated themselves against political criticism and this led to their death or downfall.
I dream of a Malaysia where we have an enlightened government that allows freedom in communication, criticism, change and growth and that the government will always remember that by restricting such freedoms to avoid criticism to preserve a static condition, they are actually sowing the seeds for ultimate destruction!!!
Today being World Press Freedom Day has made me think a lot about freedom. To live without freedom is to live in fetters, and one’s personality should not be lost in an attempt by certain characters to force one to be subservient to a system or a person. Yet, freedom, when not misused, is a boon. With freedom, comes responsibility - responsibility in reporting, blogging, speaking and expressing our thoughts. So, the betterment of society depends on the right exercise of freedom which should not be taken away from us in any guise, rhetoric or policy.
As our nation grows, I hope that there can be freedom of expression and responsibility in reporting by MSM and new media. Let the chains be unshackled and let the rakyat speak bravely and responsibily - with the desire to build and not to destroy. After all, this is our land - our beloved Malaysia and it is really up to us to make it a better country for all to live in unity and harmony. So do we have a free press?
Anonymous The darkest day!
How sad!