KUALA LUMPUR: The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) has urged the government to implement structural reforms to strengthen press freedom in Malaysia.
On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) 2025, CIJ said Malaysia must stop backsliding and instead move forward with promised reforms to protect journalism.
This year’s WPFD theme, ‘Reporting in the Brave New World’, reflects the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in the media industry.
CIJ noted that while Malaysia climbed from 107th to 88th in the World Press Freedom Index, the ranking masks deeper systemic issues.
“The media still faces rising digital authoritarianism, opaque ownership, outdated laws, and growing intimidation,” said CIJ Executive Director, Wathshlah G. Naidu, in a statement.
She said that newsrooms in Malaysia have begun integrating AI tools in research, reporting, translation, and audience engagement to boost efficiency and reach.
Outlets including The Star, Astro Awani and Free Malaysia Today have adopted AI-assisted reporting, raising concerns about transparency and editorial integrity.
However, job cuts in major publications such as Sin Chew Daily and Malaysiakini show AI is now replacing, not supporting, human journalists.
MCIL, parent company of Sin Chew, China Press and Nanyang Daily, recently retrenched 44 per cent of its workforce amid digital transformation efforts.
“It is within this climate and ecosystem that we have seen the job security and economic livelihood of journalists constantly threatened; with publications like Malaysiakini, The Malaysian Insight and Petra News moving toward massive layoffs and downsizing as part of their economic viability and sustainability measures.
“When economic expediency leads to AI being used as a substitute rather than a support for human-driven journalism, the public suffers the loss of contextual, ground-level reporting essential for participatory democracy,” said Wathshlah.
She stressed that AI is only one challenge, as Malaysia’s media ecosystem is still shaped by decades of authoritarian practices and repressive laws.
She warned that the passage of the Online Safety Act 2024, and proposed amendments to the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, risk further entrenching government control over digital media under the guise of public safety and morality.
“In 2024, Malaysia witnessed a persistent pattern of harassment and legal intimidation against journalists and media organisations.
“Cases such as the conviction of Sarawak Report editor, Clare Rewcastle-Brown, in absentia for defamation, and police investigations into Bloomberg’s Ram Anand, illustrate how laws are increasingly used to suppress critical reporting.
“Journalists from Free Malaysia Today, Malaysiakini, and Tamil media outlets also faced legal threats when reporting on critical political controversies.
“Meanwhile, DNS blocking and the suspension of Awesome TV exposed deeper issues of regulatory overreach, opaque procedures, and lack of media independence,” she added.
These developments, she stressed, reflect the urgent need for comprehensive legal reforms and a rights-based approach to safeguard press freedom in Malaysia.
She also warned of rising state-led censorship driven by conservative values around race, religion and royalty (3R) narratives.
Wathshlah pointed to the backlash against Sin Chew Daily over a flag printing error as an example of disproportionate political and racial response.
Malaysia, she said, must reject punitive nationalism and instead uphold press freedom based on public interest and human rights standards.
Wathshlah welcomed the recent tabling of the Malaysian Media Council (MMC) Bill, calling it a step towards independent media self-regulation.
Expected to be established in June, the MMC will be a multi-stakeholder body to uphold ethics, resolve disputes, and support media freedom.
She also cited efforts by the Legal Affairs Division to draft a Right to Information (RTI) bill, which would promote public transparency.
“With these, the media would be better equipped to access public information and relatedly challenge disinformation and use AI tools ethically – strengthening public trust and media resilience,” said Wathshlah.
She called for the repeal or amendment of outdated laws and proposed a moratorium on these laws’ usage while legislative reforms are being undertaken.
“World Press Freedom Day 2025 is a call to action,” Wathshlah stressed.
She urged the government to empower the MMC, support media workers, and harness AI to enhance – not replace – public interest journalism.
“Only through a free, independent and ethical media landscape can Malaysia build an informed society grounded in democratic values,” she added.
