Malaysia

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Spotlight: Malaysia Attacks

"Malaysiakini" interns assaulted by political party leaders

31 March 2019
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)

Mariam Nazar and Ramieza Wahid were assaulted as they covered a talk by former Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Malaysia Digital Rights Free Expression & the Law

Malaysian government urged to uphold election commitment by repealing sedition law

The Centre for Independent Journalism expressed alarm over the continued use of the Sedition Act by the Malaysian government to arrest critics of the state.

‎ Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) ‎15 January 2019

Malaysia Free Expression & the Law

Media reform on the agenda in Sabah

Print and radio journalists from Sabah are pushing for media reforms in Malaysia, as well as passage of a Freedom of Information Act.

‎ Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA)‎20 November 2018

Malaysia Free Expression & the Law

Fighting for media reform in the 'New Malaysia'

The International Federation of Journalists has launched a situation report analyzing the changes needed to ensure freedom of expression in Malaysia

‎ International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)‎30 September 2018

Latest from Malaysia

Malaysia: Senate rejects bill abolishing Anti-Fake News law

‎ ARTICLE 19

Malaysia Free Expression & the Law 14 September 2018
Malaysia's repeal of Anti-Fake News Act must be followed by broader reforms

‎ ARTICLE 19

Malaysia Digital Rights Free Expression & the Law 18 August 2018
Zunar

‎ IFEX

Malaysia Free Expression & the Law 6 August 2018
Malaysia: Promise of a change

‎ Gayathry Venkiteswaran for IFEX

Access to Information Malaysia Free Expression & the Law 14 June 2018
Malaysia's new government urged to abolish "Anti-Fake News" act

‎ Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) , Southeast Asian Press Alliance

Malaysia Digital Rights Free Expression & the Law 15 May 2018
Malaysia: "Fake news" bill is a threat to freedom of expression

‎ ARTICLE 19, Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)

Malaysia Digital Rights Free Expression & the Law 28 March 2018
Malaysia: Crippling laws must be repealed immediately

‎ International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)

Malaysia Free Expression & the Law 18 March 2018
Malaysia bans new book by cartoonist Zunar

‎ Cartoonists Rights Network International (CRNI)

Malaysia Censorship 7 October 2017
Malaysian cartoonist Zunar sues police for unlawful arrest

‎ Global Voices Advox

Malaysia 22 August 2017
Malaysia: Immediately investigate death threats against human rights defender Siti Kasim

‎ ARTICLE 19

Malaysia Attacks 26 July 2017
Malaysia: Drop criminal charges against human rights defender, lawyer Siti Kasim

‎ ARTICLE 19

Malaysia Free Expression & the Law 30 June 2017
CIJ calls for charges against "Malaysiakini" bosses to be dropped

‎ Centre for Independent Journalism - Malaysia

Malaysia Censorship Free Expression & the Law 19 May 2017
Malaysia urged to cease arrests, investigations of critics on social media

‎ ARTICLE 19

Malaysia Digital Rights Free Expression & the Law 16 April 2017
Malaysian convicted for screening doc on Sri Lanka

‎ Centre for Independent Journalism - Malaysia

Malaysia Censorship Free Expression & the Law 23 February 2017
Concern over intimidation against Malaysian online news portal, civil society groups

‎ Centre for Independent Journalism - Malaysia

Malaysia Attacks 8 November 2016
Malaysian political cartoonist banned from leaving country

‎ International Federation of Journalists

Malaysia Free Expression & the Law 20 October 2016
Has Malaysia finally criminalised free speech?

‎ Human Rights Watch

Malaysia Digital Rights Censorship 14 October 2016
Transgender activist Nisha Ayub

‎ IFEX

Malaysia Attacks Gender 18 August 2016
Malaysian MPs should reject restrictive amendments to internet and communications law

‎ Centre for Independent Journalism - Malaysia

Malaysia 25 May 2016
A few bad provisions

‎ Centre for Independent Journalism - Malaysia

Access to Information Malaysia Digital Rights Censorship 16 May 2016
Increase in cases of Internet censorship is cause for concern in Malaysia

‎ Centre for Independent Journalism - Malaysia

Malaysia Digital Rights Censorship 26 February 2016
Malaysia ponders stricter punishments for whistleblowers, journalists

‎ Centre for Independent Journalism - Malaysia

Malaysia Digital Rights Free Expression & the Law 9 February 2016
Medium's sitewide encryption confronts censorship in Malaysia

‎ Electronic Frontier Foundation

Malaysia Digital Rights Censorship 3 February 2016
Crackdown intensifies in Malaysia on eve of summits

‎ Human Rights Watch

Malaysia Digital Rights Censorship 12 November 2015
Space for public debate and free speech is rapidly narrowing in Malaysia, says new report

‎ Human Rights Watch

Malaysia Censorship Free Expression & the Law Freedom of Assembly 28 October 2015
Malaysia: Sedition Act upheld in further blow to free expression

‎ ARTICLE 19

Malaysia Free Expression & the Law 13 October 2015

At a glance

members working in this country 1

Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)

Most covered free expression issues in this country

More from Malaysia

Freedom on the Net 2017: Malaysia

Several websites remain blocked for reporting on a billion dollar corruption scandal implicating Prime Minister Najib Razak, including the publishing platform Medium

Freedom House 16 November 2017
Malaysia HRW Report: Events of 2016

Malaysia's human rights situation continued to deteriorate in 2016, with human rights defenders, activists, political opposition figures, and journalists facing harassment and politically motivated prosecution. Those criticising the administration of Prime Minister Najib Razak or commenting on the government's handling of the 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) corruption scandal have been particular targets.

Human Rights Watch 16 January 2017
Freedom of the Press 2016: Malaysia

Reporting on the alleged misuse of the 1MDB state investment fund sparked criminal defamation proceedings against at least four news outlets, and two others were temporarily suspended.

Freedom House 24 April 2016

Freedom on the Net 2015: Malaysia

Amendment to Sedition Act allows government to block electronic content, increases maximum jail term from three to seven years

Freedom House 31 October 2015

[Malaysia] Disappointments and promises in freedom of expression

The year 2014 saw Malaysians standing up to exercise the rights guaranteed under the Federal Constitution, including freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. This continues a growing trend of facing up to state oppression. Unfortunately, this has been met with increasing repression. Malaysia has seen a concerted crackdown on the freedom of expression in the year 2014, which has escalated even further in 2015.

Southeast Asian Press Alliance 6 May 2015

Freedom of the Press 2015: Malaysia

Ranked 142nd in annual global media freedom report

Freedom House 1 May 2015

Reporting in an election year

Reporters from The Washington Post and Huffington Post confess to taking government money to write stories critical of opposition parties

Southeast Asian Press Alliance 2 May 2014

Freedom in the World 2014: Malaysia

Appeals Court rules non-Muslims prohibited from using word "Allah"

Freedom House 1 May 2014

"No Answers, No Apology": Police Abuses and Accountability in Malaysia

Human Rights Watch 2 April 2014

World Press Freedom Index 2014: Malaysia

Ranked 147th in annual press freedom index

Reporters Without Borders 1 February 2014

World Report 2014: Malaysia

"Malaysian authorities maintain control over television and radio, printed newspapers, magazines and books, and films and video"

Human Rights Watch 22 January 2014

Watching the Watchdog Release 5: World Press Freedom Day

Centre for Independent Journalism 3 May 2013

Watching the Watchdog Release 4: Race & Religion

In scrutinising the GE13 coverage provided by the most popular and influential Malaysian media, the Watching the Watchdog media monitoring project found that different 'Language Media' (English, Bahasa Malaysia, and Mandarin) provide differential information about GE13 participants, although in all cases, they reproduce the pro-BN bias found by the Watching the Watchdog project overall

Centre for Independent Journalism 3 May 2013

Freedom of the Press 2013: Malaysia

Ranked 146th in annual global media freedom report

Freedom House 1 May 2013

Watching the Watchdog Release 3: Media Coverage of GE13 Heavily Gender-Biased

In scrutinising the GE13 coverage provided by the most popular and influential Malaysian media, the Watching the Watchdog media monitoring project found that the coverage of politicians and other individuals present within election reporting (both when mentioned and when used as sources) is heavily gender-biased towards coverage of men.

Centre for Independent Journalism 30 April 2013

Watching the Watchdog Release 2: Malaysian voters deprived of fair and objective information about politicians in GE13

In scrutinising the GE13 coverage provided by the most popular and influential Malaysian media, the Watching the Watchdog media monitoring project found that citizens are being deprived of fair and objective information about the individual politicians who are taking part in the elections.

Centre for Independent Journalism 26 April 2013

Watching the Watchdog - Malaysian media coverage of general election (GE13)

In scrutinising the GE13 coverage provided by the most popular and influential Malaysian media, the Watching the Watchdog media monitoring project found that citizens of Malaysia are being deprived of fair and objective information about political parties and coalitions which are taking part in the elections.

Centre for Independent Journalism 22 April 2013