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Malaysia’s worst-ever ranking in RSF worldwide press freedom index – could be even worse!

In the latest worldwide press freedom index released by Paris-based watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Malaysia scored two “worsts” — the sharpest plunge of 32 spots from 92 to 124 placing, which is also Malaysia’s worst ranking in the RSF annual worldwide press freedom ranking since it was started in 2002.

In the past six years, Malaysia had been ranked poorly in RSF’s annual worldwide press freedom index —

RSF Worldwide Press Freedom Index (Malaysia)

2002 – 110 (out of 139 countries)
2003 – 104 (166)
2004 – 122 (167)
2005 – 113 (167)
2006 – 92 (168)
2007 – 124 (169)

Last year, when Malaysia jumped 21 spots to 92nd ranking from the previous year’s 113rd position, the New Straits Times crowed:

“This is the best ranking that the country has achieved since the global media watchdog first introduced the Index in 2002, when we came in 110th. In fact, this is the first time the country has scored higher than all the other Asean countries. Last year, we were fourth, and the year before were fifth.”

The New Straits Times today did not report the 2007 RSF worldwide press freedom index released yesterday and Malaysia’s worst ever ranking and plunge.

This year, Malaysia cannot make the same claim of scoring higher than all the other Asean countries, as we are behind Cambodia (85) and Indonesia (100) while in the Asia-Pacific region, we are behind Taiwan (32), Japan (37), South Korea (39), Hong Kong (61), Timor-Leste (94), Bhutan (116) and India (120).

Malaysia is one of five of the 169 countries which had suffered the worst plunge as compared to last year’s RSF worldwide press freedom index, dropping by 32 places.

Malaysia’s drop and placing for this year’s RSF 2007 worldwide press freedom index would have been worse if the shocking development that the Prime Minister does not want to hear the truth from the media and the public had been taken fully into account.

Can Malaysians expect a response from the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi himself to the shocking plunge and placing of Malaysia in the RSF 2007 worldwide press freedom index in view of his earlier pledge to show greater respect for press freedom as compared to the previous administration?

Malaysia’s worst placing in the RSF 2007 worldwide press freedom index joins a lost list of indicators that all is not right with Malaysia on the occasion of our 50th Merdeka anniversary — that while we should be proud of our national achievements, we have greater reason to be concerned about our many national failings.

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61 Replies to “Malaysia’s worst-ever ranking in RSF worldwide press freedom index – could be even worse!”

  1. What else in the world that can worries our ELITE group ?
    With the amount of monies that they have gathered througn the years of ruling Malaysia, do you think they are concerned over this report ?
    As part of their legal duties as governing leaders, they will (sort of) act on this with their own version of reporting. That’s the common tools of response to any international report that biased our government policies.
    Anyway, Malaysian are born to be conned by BN since Merdeka.
    With a small token of a few hundreds RM, one would gladly crossed for BN candicate in any GE, what else to complain ?
    Can we blamed that guy that accepted that amount which to that individual is a lot of monies. So, strategicly, BN have the advantage of money politic and law to back their doings. When they given out this monies, it’s helping the rakyat. Any opposition follows, it’s called corruption practices.
    We all know the BN have to called for an early GE to avoid further advantages to BA with DSAI’s entry after April 08.
    With too many ‘old cases of lies’ bloated up by BA, they are now getting all the top BN leaders, government agencies leader, business tycoons, and their international friends to group up their enforcement to ‘wracked’ through this early GE in grand style victory.
    They have been holding private closed door discussion with groups in overseas venues to avoid any detection by BA informers over when will GE be held.
    Anything that BN are currently doing are merely for their continuous ruling power in Malaysia as we are entering the last phrase of country natural wealth reserve. With most of the land acquisition well distributed among their members and overseas interest carefully managed, they can afford to lose the entire control of governing this country within the next 3 to 4 GE as there are nothing worthy to hold on to by then.
    Come to think, our natural reserves will (consider) ends within the next 15 to 20 years time, that sums up to another 3 t0 4 GE.
    So, I might not live that long to witness the changes but looking forward to see Malaysian to finally ‘standing on their own two feets’ in that process.

  2. All the more reason why the internet need to be made available more accessible to others (especially those in the kampongs).

    Suggest more usage of the internet and computers in the next election campaign. If they can’t get to the net, then the net will come to them.

  4. Hey, for once this bodohland is better than Singapore. Singapore rank 141. The sleeping PM and his kaki bodek taxi minister will definately argue that we are much better. They will tell MM Lee KY to shut up and return to this bodohland unconditionally.

  7. Isnt it funny, despite this rankings been run by diff agencies or institutions around the world on various topics and methodologies, one thing remains the same. Msia is always a loser when it comes to rankings such as this.

  8. They will be defensive and may come out to say the following :

    1) The RCF rating is bias towards the Western countries.. or
    2) Our press have been transparent enough if not hot issues regarding the Lingam tape or findings on the misuse of funds by the AG wouldn’t have been highlighted… or
    3) There must be a mistake in the ratings !…or
    4) The RCF must be ‘crazy’ or acting like the opposition ! … or
    5) There’s no basis of evidence to the ratings !

    Well, don’t be surprised if you hear either of of the above within the next few days by certain cabinet ministers… he he

  9. Let me add to the list, I welcome everyone to contribute also.

    1) The RCF rating is bias towards the Western countries.. or
    2) Our press have been transparent enough if not hot issues regarding the Lingam tape or findings on the misuse of funds by the AG wouldn’t have been highlighted… or
    3) There must be a mistake in the ratings !…or
    4) The RCF must be ‘crazy’ or acting like the opposition ! … or
    5) There’s no basis of evidence to the ratings !
    6) Malaysians are not ready for the truth, too sensitive.

  13. Justicewanted Says:
    October 18th, 2007 at 12: 52.37
    What has the Mamak Information Minister, Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin to say about this?
    ________________________________
    Why do you call him Mamak? Do you mean he is an Indian? Please share the secret.

  15. Let me add to the list, I welcome everyone to contribute also.

    1) The RCF rating is bias towards the Western countries.. or
    2) Our press have been transparent enough if not hot issues regarding the Lingam tape or findings on the misuse of funds by the AG wouldn’t have been highlighted… or
    3) There must be a mistake in the ratings !…or
    4) The RCF must be ‘crazy’ or acting like the opposition ! … or
    5) There’s no basis of evidence to the ratings !
    6) Malaysians are not ready for the truth, too sensitive.
    7) We are a space power!!It’s ok!!(According to the self glorifying article in The Star – Analysis 18.10.2007)

  16. IIANM Singapore is ranked worse than Malaysia so critics will say we are better than the so-called progressive nation.

    All part of the Jewish conspiracy to put us down!
    Next year the ranking will be better as our guys at the Info ministry has cracked the code on how countries are ranked and that is why only good news will be reported in the papers.

    If you accept this, you will accept anything the authorities spew out…

  17. Tahniah to Msia…….at least beat Spore :p At least something we can beat Spore at apart from having the most flags during National Day celebrations…hahahaha….

    Since we are on this subject, Angelina Jolie plays the widow in the movie on WSJ reporter Daniel Pearl, A Mighty Heart is also related to Reporters Without Borders organization. Watch it to those who are interested….

  18. “Can Malaysians expect a response from the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi himself to the shocking plunge …” KIT

    Expecting Abdullah Badawi to respond is like asking the dead to walk!

    He’s waiting to be told the truth. I suppose nobody has told him anything – and like they always say “Ignorance is bliss” especially when it comes so soon after his “marriage bliss”. For someone who insists on being blissfully unaware, the truth is but a nightmare.

  21. “Since we are on this subject, Angelina Jolie plays the widow in the movie on WSJ reporter Daniel Pearl, A Mighty Heart is also related to Reporters Without Borders organization. Watch it to those who are interested….” – cheeyong

    It is not even playing in our cinemas yet! Come on la, dont encourage others to watch pirated dvd. For someone who is all for justice and all, how could you watch pirated dvd?? And deny the movie producers/actors/actresses their dues???

  24. The problem is muslims in Malaysia don’t have freedom and they don’t understand what freedom means, so press freedom is out. The problem in Singapore is that they don’t care about press freedom because everyone is very busy!

  25. Who says Malay Muslims in Malaysia?? UMNO leaders are busy praying five times a day – atonement for their sins.

    Religious freedom for the Malays?? Do we need to go over that again??

    The Malays are free to practice their religion – which is Islam. They are free to fast during Ramadan (free not to fast when at home) free to pray at their workplace (free to go on a frolic of their own), pray at mosques of their choice on Fridays (free to park their cars on road pavements, free to block traffic) and free to celebrate the end of Eid.

    Who say there is no religious freedom?

  26. Religious freedom to lie, cheat and steal ? As in “we are not in the business of cheating the people” ? As in “work with me, not work for me”? or more recently, as in “we must investigate; we must get to the bottom of this” ?

  28. RealWorld, dont know what to say bout u lah. U sound like a badut most of the time. I am suprised u actually get sedekah to study overseas with this kind of quality of thinking. I am sure among your buddies that also gets sedekah, obviously there are far better ones compared to you.

    The original DVD is actually out and you can get it online through the more popular online sites. I believe a foreign educated sedekah receiver like you will know how to navigate your way through :)

  31. Whatever it is ? We all have to seek the ELITE group to give up on all their intentions of ‘milking’ our country natural wealth. All the Malay Rulers should have by now decided to put a full stop on all these national scandals which clearly seen as destructive actions for whatever that left in the country. We all also know that their immediate families and relatives are also involved in certain national scandals and it is time for them to forego their greed and live with what they have achieved. At the end of the greed, they should know when to stop.
    As for those MPs that involved in those scandals, they will never surrender their ‘god forsaken wealth’ for anything then we would like to the Malay Rulers to pardon them and allow them to mirgate with all their wealth to any country that willing to accept them. All these MPs must disposed all their properties in this country and take only the monetary values away with them.
    We don’t need them in this country anymore after what they have done and we all should forgivenly ‘set them free’ to continue their habits in countries of their choice.
    I believe we ca nmake a big difference from this impact though a lot of monies could have bee ntaken out, Malaysian know how to weather through this storm.

  32. Print out all the web pages available and bring it to the masses in the rural areas which do not have internet access. Let them see and read what is going on around them and let them form their own opinion. We have to educate the masses if we are going to see a change in the governments attitude. Let them read something outside of our mainstream papers. LET THEM KNOW THE TRUTH!

  34. cheeyong, if you say you got the original dvd, then its good enough for me. I take your word for it, buddy.

    No need to get all choked up and all, ok?
    So, how was Angeline Jolie in that movie?

  37. Dont wanna reveal the spoilers dude. Dont wanna spoil the suprises. RealWorld, there is still time for you to bertaubat. You can join Keadilan, PAS or DAP for a start. Or even join SUARAM to let the masses know of the evils in this country.

    There might be still hope for you and Msia.

  39. One of the parties I mentioned above.Its an idea where people of all races and religions would be treated equally. You can find more info from DAP past manifestos

    Or alternatively, PKR Agenda Ekonomi Baru is also a laudable effort. You can download it in PKR website.

  40. “Its an idea where people of all races and religions would be treated equally.” – cheeyong

    Honestly that is a very noble intention.
    But how come in the DAP, you find very few or none malays/indians in the leadership?

  41. That shows you’re a racist. Today if UMNO practices fairness and open it for all races like the concept mooted by Onn Jaafar, I will join UMNO. I dont care if its all Malays in the party.

    You know why? I am colour blind. Why you so concern who governs the party? As long the person is an able person that is fair to all, so be it. I am all for a Malay being a leader. Or all are just Malay leaders. If he is a clean fair person, we sokong without question.

  42. One more thing, if UMNO is open for all races and abolish NEP and become a fair and clean party, I believe DAP comrades need to close DAP lah. UMNO will put DAP out of business :)

    But can UMNO take the next big step?

  43. You mean I am a racist merely by asking why DAP has very few indians/malays in their leadership in relation to the party’s Malaysian Malaysia tagline?? Boy oh boy, you indeed need help. You are not only colour blind. You need your head examined as well.

    Dude, you need to be clear here. We are not talking about UMNO. You suggested to me “You can join Keadilan, PAS or DAP for a start.” Remember? I am merely asking you to clarify DAP’s position and then you went ballistic and all.

    Can we discuss this with some maturity?

  44. I just pointed out to you that your questions is irrelevant. Why you so concern about race composition in the party? You should be asking what DAP is fighting for.

    Again as I have mentioned, today UMNO is a Malay party. Even the name says it all United Malays……MCA and MIC too. Chinese, Indian. I will cut some slack on Gerakan.

    We should go pass that, and support a party that dont identify itself as a race based party. Keadlian, DAP or PAS. Take your pick. If you’re not putting 2 feets into the water, I suggest you join SUARAM.

  45. “One more thing, if UMNO is open for all races and abolish NEP and become a fair and clean party, I believe DAP comrades need to close DAP lah. UMNO will put DAP out of business
    But can UMNO take the next big step?” – cheeyong

    Brother, UMNO has got nothing to do with your suggestion of me joining DAP la.
    And are you saying that DAP is not a fair and clean party?

  46. cheeyong, my brother, am not concern about race composition in DAP. Just that I thought Malaysian Malaysia is about all Malaysians i.e. melayu ade, cina ade, india ade, punjabi ade, iban ade, kadazandusun ade, senoi pun ade jugak dan others. But in reality, I only see one group. Kinda puncture the Malaysian Malaysia thingy, dont you think so?

  47. If you find DAP is not your flavour of the day today, try Keadilan. Any party that works hand in hand with DAP is a friend of DAP. As long as we stand on 1 platform to take out BN in this GE.

  48. I am just saying that if today UMNO is fair and just and open for all races, alot of the opposition parties today will find it hard to cari makan. What more can you ask if the govt is fair, smart and clean?

  49. “As long as we stand on 1 platform to take out BN in this GE.” – cheeyong

    I admire your goal. But to take BN out in this coming GE, pretty near impossible. To put a dent in BN possible, but not take BN out. Not in this GE. Malaysians are not ready for such drastic actions yet.

    On the side, do you honestly, honestly think the Opposition could win this coming GE? I will tell you my opinion. I would say BN will win, as usual. But the majority be about 70%+- mandate, and this would see major changes in the BN. :)

  50. I am not suprise at all on Malaysia poor press freedom index.

    A tycoon controls the whole Chinese press; political parties control English & Malay press;

    Interferences from Information Minister or Internal Security Minister;

    Unfriendly laws towards press freedom;

    Books / magazine banned for no valid reason;

    Hostile attitude towards bloggers; and

    Don’t cast the government in negative light.

  51. Take out BN doesnt mean take them out in totality. Take them out in some areas lah. Hey RealWorld, I remember reading somewhere, you said Pak Lah govt can win 91% again? Or I remembered wrongly? Now turun to 70%+?

  52. We have too many issues that cannot debate publicly. Race issue is sensitive, religion is sensitive, inter-faith discussion is sensitive, NEP is sensitive, Islamic state debate is sensitive, Astor could not live broadcast on UMNO speech etc. How to have press freedom with so many sensitive issues?

  53. cheeyong, I said 91% mandate (as a reminder) not can win again with 91% mandate la. Apa la lu. Furthermore, have a few more of you lot in Parliament also good what! Ipoh Timur must be there la, know what I mean.

  56. The govt has controlled the newspapers!
    Now it is going to control cyberspace.
    They can control eveything. We cannot even voice out our opinion which is ‘sensitive’. What nonsense is this. With over ‘protectionism’ even in the press, are they afraid we will leak out all their inefficiencies?

    Berani kerana Benar, TAKUT kerana SALAH!!! – That’s why the govt is controlling the press sooo strictly now!
    A good govt with good governance will not be afraid for press freedom.
    What are they TAKUT of?

  57. According to report The Star 20th page 11, our Information Minister said that Malaysians and other Asians should ignore the Press Freedom ratings by Reporters Without Borders because they are based on Western Values of press freedom mainly driven by market and money.

    Zam lauded Lee Kuan Yew for fighting western values of press freedom and winning against London’s Financial Times recently. Zam said: “For me, the only language understood by the Western Media is when the pockets are hit”. By taking legal action and winning the case, he said Lee had proven to the world that the Western media valued money more than press freedom. Zam said Malaysians and Asians should not be worried about the drop of rankings of press freedom in Malaysia as it did not reflect the truth of press freedom in the country. (By his inverse measurement of things, he must think Singapore’s placing in 141 spot of Freedom Rating is better than Malaysia’s 124 spot to give cause for us to strive beat and overtake our Southern Neighbour’s).

    It is a welcome relief to hear Zam waxing lyrical about Lee Kuan Yew when it serves his agenda to discredit Press Freedom ratings by Reporters Without Borders. He has not always been an admirer of LKY unless he serves to make Zam’s points.

    On other occasions in a three-day working visit of Xinhua News Agency on 29th September 2006 he told newsmen that Lee Kuan Yew “had ulterior motives in accusing Malaysia of marginalising the Chinese community when he himself had killed the Chinese culture in his own country” – that “he wanted to scare the Chinese, to make them feel that the wealth that they have amassed can never be safe in the region”. Zam added, “Today, Malaysia has more Chinese schools than Singapore and the newspaper with the biggest circulation in the country is a Chinese language newspaper. Lee Kuan Yew, on the other hand, has systematically killed Chinese culture by disallowing many Chinese practices. He also closed down Nanyang University and Ngee Ann College”. Zam said Lee must be congratulated for changing the Chinese identity in the island state such that it had become unrecognisable. He called on Chinese newspapers in Malaysia not to be taken in by Lee’s statement to the extent of playing up Chinese chauvinism and endangering Malaysia’s racial harmony.

    See link – http://powerpresent.blogspot.com/2006_09_24_archive.html

    But Zam conceded to LKY being smarter than Tun Dr Mahathir when the latter attacked PM’s leadership. He said that former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad would have fared better if he had remained in the Cabinet as a mentor minister like Singapore’s former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew; that it was too late now as “he has missed the boat.” Zam said Dr Mahathir should have emulated Lee, who chose to remain within the government’s administration after serving as Singapore’s first prime minister for 31 years. “Lee Kuan Yew is smarter than Tun (Dr Mahathir) for he chose to remain as a mentor minister to the government (in 2004) after stepping down as prime minister. See link: http://www.malaysia-today.net/Blog-n/2006/09/zam-kuan-yew-smarter-than-mahathir.htm

  58. Wow,Jeffrey, what a masterly display by this mamak!1 He sure knows how to use his fork tongue to advance his agenda whenever he sees fit.
    But rest assured Harry Lee would not be smug about your lauding him for he can smell you from afar.As for Mahathir he has nothing to do except squeeze his b —s.

  59. Pingback: Lim Kit Siang » Blog Archive » Shame on Zam for hypocrisy and chicanery - hiding behind Lee Kuan Yew to reject RSF press freedom index

  61. They are high-handed and if any newspaper in Malaysia does not conform to their requirements, they even resort to buying over the whole establishment. This was what happened to China Press when MCA bought it over just to throw out its chief editor. And despite appeals by the Chinese community, it proceeded with the purchase and suffered massive losses before it finally gave up.

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