Mass media in Malaysia
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The mass media in Malaysia includes television, radio, newspapers, and web-based media such as bloggers. Many media outlets are either owned directly by the government of Malaysia (e.g. Bernama) or owned by component parties of the Barisan Nasional coalition which continuously form the government during Mahathir Mohamad's tenure until May 2018 (e.g. the Media Prima group, which is owned by the United Malays National Organisation).[1] Opposition parties during this era like the Islamic Party and People's Justice Party publish their own newspapers, Harakah and Suara Keadilan respectively, which are openly sold alongside regular publications.
Newspapers
There are over 30 newspapers and
.Television and radio
State-owned RTM operates six free-to-air terrestrial local television channels licensed to broadcast in Malaysia, as well as 34 radio channels nationwide. Meanwhile, Media Prima is the parent company of four television channels and five radio channels.
Privately owned by
TV Sarawak (TVS) becomes the first regional TV station from Sarawak in Malaysia to have its own TV station. Albeit not the first in the Sarawak history as back in the April 1998, NTV7 was launched by Sarawakian businessman, Mohd Effendi Norwawi under the entity of Natseven TV Sdn Bhd, before acquired by Media Prima Berhad in 2005. With its own TV station, it will help to counter the problem of state's low priority and under coverage news by Peninsular-based media and increasing the power of East Malaysia representation.
Freedom
The regulated
In 2007, a government agency – the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission – issued a directive to all private television and radio stations to refrain from broadcasting speeches made by opposition leaders.
Malaysia was ranked 141 out of 178 countries in the
After the 2022 general election, Malaysia jumped 40 places in the World Press Freedom Index to 73rd place in 2023, up from its previous position of 113th in 2022. Meanwhile, the Minister of Communications and Digital, Fahmi Fadzi, announced that the ministry is studying the draft bill for the Malaysia Media Council before presenting it to the Cabinet.[9]
Because of troop sensitivities, newspapers from Singapore cannot be sold in Malaysia, hence The Straits Times and other Singapore titles are not sold in Malaysia, while the New Straits Times and other Malaysian titles are not sold in Singapore. The ban was imposed before the 1 May 1969 general election in Malaysia.[10][11]
Past arrests and investigations
Malaysia authorities have arrested, detained and investigated numerous journalists, artists, people and/or groups both online and offline.
Between January 2020 and June 2022, the Malaysian government reported that they conducted 692 investigations under the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA).
In February of 2022, Malaysian police detained activist Fahmi Reza for two days for his artwork on Twitter that satirised a government minister. On July 1, religious authorities and police members charged two people for insulting Islam during their comedy act under the CMA, resulting in local authorities requesting the closure of the comedy club. In October 2022, police detained political activist Jay Jay Denis over a tweet accusing a political leader of misconduct. [12]
PEN International officially denounced the increased use of Section 223 of the CMA to target writers and the general public for expressing their views online and in the press. Freedom of expression is pledged in Article 10 of the Federal Constitution, however Section 223(a) deems it an offence for any individual to use a platform to create, solicit or initiate communication seen as "obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another person". If charged, individuals can be fined up to RM50,000 or one years' imprisonment. [13]
Article 19, an organisation that calls for freedom of worldwide expression, conducted a legal analysis of the 1998 CMA in February of 2017. They concluded that the Act is overly broad, resulting in an increased amount of offences and lacks proper defence against censorship. They also deem the Act as unprotected of journalistic sources and anonymity. Article 19 calls for the Malaysian government to review the Act and amend it to fit with the standards of international freedoms of expression.
Notes and references
- ^ Mustafa K. Anuar (2004). "'Muzzled': The Media in Mahathir's Malaysia". In Welsh, Bridget (ed.). Reflections: The Mahathir Years. Washington: Southeast Asia Studies Program, The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies. pp. 486–93.
- ^ Lent, John A. (1974). "Malaysia's National Language Mass Media: History and Present Status". South East Asian Studies. 15 (4): 607-9.
- ^ McAdams, Mindy (2007). Why journalists act like chickens. Retrieved 1 April 2007.
- ^ "Opposition muzzled – here's black and white proof". Malaysiakini. 29 June 2007.
- ^ Vikneswary, G (28 June 2007). "TV station denies censoring opposition news". Malaysiakini.
- ^ Phang, Llew-Ann; Puah, Pauline (4 July 2007). "MCMC, you're out of line". Malaysia Today. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007.
- ^ "Press Freedom Index 2010". Reporters Without Borders. 2010. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ "2020 World Press Freedom Index | Reporters Without Borders". RSF. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
- ^ "Malaysia ranks highest among Asean countries in RSF's latest world press freedom index". The Star. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ "Good sentiments towards Malaysians on the rise". Singapore-window.org. 8 May 2005. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ^ Arming the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF): trends and implications, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University, 2003, page 66
- ^ "Human rights in Malaysia". Amnesty International. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ "PEN Malaysia denounces increased use of Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998". PEN International. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
Further reading
- Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, University of Oxford (2020), "Malaysia", Digital News Report, UK, )