KUCHING: Malaysia’s jump from 107th to 88th in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index is pointing towards encouraging progress, but veteran journalist Datuk Dr Chamil Wariya says the country must not rest on its laurels.
Released by Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the index shows Malaysia’s score improving from 52.07 in 2024 to 56.09 in 2025, shifting the nation from the ‘difficult’ to ‘problematic’ category.
“There’s reason to be encouraged.
“Being in the ‘problematic’ tier is better than ‘difficult’ or ‘very serious’, but the ultimate goal is to reach the ‘satisfactory’ and eventually the ‘good’ category,” he said in a statement today (May 3).
In the RSF index, media freedom is assessed across five categories of good, satisfactory, problematic, difficult and very serious, with the lowest two tiers often occupied by authoritarian regimes like China and Russia, where state control over the press is extensive.
“Among ASEAN nations, Malaysia ranked second behind Thailand, indicating that there is still significant potential for progress,” Chamil added.
Chamil said RSF evaluates countries based on five indicators which are media landscape, political context, legal framework, economic environment, and sociocultural climate, including journalist safety.
He added on the media landscape, RSF acknowledged Malaysia’s relatively diverse media environment but noted that government-linked agencies such as the national news agency BERNAMA and broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) continue to exert considerable influence.
“To move forward, RTM should be transformed into an independent public broadcaster, like the BBC in the UK, the ABC in Australia, or NHK in Japan,” he said.
“At the same time, media owners must allow editorial teams to operate independently and uphold high standards of professional journalism, ensuring balanced coverage for both government and opposition.”
Chamil also addressed political pressure on the media, citing RSF’s observation that the government often exerts considerable pressure to prevent the media from tackling sensitive topics or criticising politicians and officials.
“This overly defensive stance must be softened. A democratic society must be able to handle constructive criticism,” he said.
On legal reforms, he welcomed the establishment of the Malaysian Media Council, approved by Parliament in February, as well as the Prime Minister’s intention to introduce a Freedom of Information Act.
“These are steps in the right direction, but we must go further. Repressive laws like the Sedition Act 1948, the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, and certain provisions within the Official Secrets Act and Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 must be repealed or reviewed,” he said.
He added that from an economic standpoint, RSF urged the government to ease licensing regulations, allowing private media outlets to operate freely without the threat of closure due to critical reporting.
Chamil also raised concerns about the government’s stringent approach to the so-called “3R” issues which are race, religion, and royalty.
“Overregulation in these areas creates a chilling effect and undermines a free press,” he said.
On a more positive note, he said, RSF found no cases of violence against journalists in Malaysia over the past year, suggesting that the safety of media professionals remains intact.
“To improve our standing in the next year’s index and beyond, Malaysia must address the structural issues affecting political freedom, media independence, legal constraints, and sociocultural openness,” he added.
