The International Federation of Journalists has published a report on Malaysia's media landscape, saying that there has been a disturbing deterioration in press freedom since Malaysia’s snap-change of government in March 2020 and called for urgent reforms to protect the country’s fragile media industry.
The report, which was published yesterday, also highlights the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on press freedom, saying it has exacerbated challenges faced by media workers and journalists in Malaysia.
"After the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic globally, Malaysia implemented the oppressive movement control order (MCO), while the country witnessed an increasing number of violations and attacks against anyone seen to be critical of sensitive topics and the new political order.
"The report details a list of charges and persecutions over the past six months under Malaysia’s existing draconian laws and regulations," said the IFJ in a statement today.
The report also pinpoints the political "switch" in late February 2020 which saw Pakatan Harapan collapse to be swiftly replaced by a concoction of party defectors, nationalists and conservative opposition politicians led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
"Malaysia’s newest government has not been in power six months, yet there is a documented disturbing decline in civil liberties and press freedoms under its command," the IFJ said.
“For journalists and media workers, it was a dashing of media reform dreams promised under the previous government and an expected return to political ‘business as usual’ for the country.”
The IFJ said that Muhyiddin Yassin's administration has been punctuated with high profile cases including contempt charges against respected online news portal Malaysiakini, raids on Al Jazeera’s Kuala Lumpur offices following a documentary on the plight of migrant workers and the banning of the book Rebirth: Reformasi, Resistance and Hope in New Malaysia.
It goes on to detail more than 10 other attempts by the authorities to curtail freedom of expression and cites a number of opposition politicians and NGO leaders who were called in for questioning by police since Muhyiddin's government took over.
“Armed with the repressive laws of contempt and sedition, the new government is silencing critics and undermining press freedom. For a resilient media industry that serves the public interest, legal reforms are critical," said the IFJ.
The report also presents recommendations to support the creation of a more conducive working environment for media workers in Malaysia with a focus on legal reforms and the creation of a media council to regulate the industry and protect media freedoms.
Next week on Sept 9, the IFJ report will be discussed by media representatives and civil society groups in a webinar that will feature DAP's Kluang MP Wong Shu Qi, Gerakan Media Merdeka spokesperson Radzi Razak, foreign correspondent Tashny Sukumaran and Malaysiakini CEO/co-founder Premesh Chandran. - Mkini
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