2010 World Press Freedom Day ignored by Najib Government as Malaysia stands on the crossroad with Najib deciding whether to usher a return of the Mahathirish media dark age
The 2010 World Press Freedom Day celebrated worldwide two days ago was completely ignored by the Najib government, without any commitment to restore press freedom in Malaysia, as press freedom in Malaysia is in fact facing the possibility of worst censorship and repression since the retirement of Tun Mahathir as Prime Minister five years ago.
This is the result of no institutional changes to create a new environment and regime of press and information freedom during the period of premiership of Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister.
Eleven years ago, when Abdullah was first appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, there were high hopes that he would accord priority to restore public confidence in various key government institutions by giving the Home Ministry a human face, including loosening up and removing the press controls in the country to usher an era of free, fair and responsible press in Malaysia.
This was why on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day on May 3, 1999, some 600 journalists in Malaysia – which grew to over 1,000 journalists the following World Press Freedom Day 2000 – presented a memorandum to Abdullah calling for the repeal of the Printing Presses and Publications Act and other repressive laws fettering the development of a free and responsible press as well as the enactment of a Freedom of Information Act.
Abdullah had given a solemn undertaking to the Malaysian journalists at the time that he would give their memorandum serious consideration.
But even when Abdullah became the Prime Minister in November 2003, he never graduated beyond “serious consideration” of the press freedom memorandum of over 1,000 Malaysian journalists.
Although there was an air and climate of greater tolerance of press freedom, allowing an increase of publications as well as internet sites, there was no movement whatsoever towards dismantling the apparatus of media control, censorship and repression which remain basically intact for a new Mahathir to impose a new media darkness by invoking these instruments of media control and censhorship in the country.
We seem to be at the moment in the nation’s history deciding whether there is going to be a return of the Mahathirish media darkness, with Najib flirting with the possibility of invoking the Mahathirish instruments of media censorship to consolidate his political power base in the country.
Already, international rankings for Malaysian press freedom are already at an all-time low.
Malaysia is at the lowest rating in the history of Reporters without Borders annual press freedom index, with its 2009 rating dropping to 44.25 points when we were rated 39.02 in 2008, 41 in 2007, 22.25 in 2006, 33 in 2005, 39.83 in 2004.
Malaysia has not done any better in the 2010 world press freedom index compiled by Freedom House, placed No. 141 out of 196 countries and remaining in the bottom 32 per cent of countries which fall under the “not free” category. (Malaysia has imperceptible improvement of two places from No. 143 for 2009).
Is there going to be the coming of the new Mahathir media dark age under Najib?
Let this be decided by Malaysians and not by the Umno-Barisan Nasional leadership.
#1 by tak tahan on Thursday, 6 May 2010 - 12:01 am
If we can’t have any righteous goverment.good politic,sound economy then it’s time for a CHANGE for BETTER.How can we be better as supposed to be as decent human nature wihtout equal right informations,race and religion been given fairly regardless of race or religion like this stupid typical bolehland.Banzai to this typical Bahkuteh,sleepy aab and cunning NR for the continuing championing of their f..ki.ng right which is not so unheard in other part of this decent universal.
#2 by boh-liao on Thursday, 6 May 2010 - 1:25 am
D msm here is 2 suppress n brainwash ppl, esp Utusan M’sia, so dat UmnoB/BN hv d freedom 2 rob d nation
#3 by monsterball on Thursday, 6 May 2010 - 1:25 am
Najib is a puppet for Mahathir and he can twist and turn playing dirty politics…his style.
Bottom line…Najib needs Mahathir badly.
Yes…let Malaysians decide in 13th GE.go forward or copy Arabs hypocritical lifestyles.
#4 by johnnypok on Thursday, 6 May 2010 - 4:22 am
Malaya will be sold to Indonesia.
Sabah and Sarawak must get out as soon as possible.
#5 by Bigjoe on Thursday, 6 May 2010 - 7:17 am
Media freedom? Najib administration is Mahathirism one step forward – the hypocrisy, the short-termism, the crony capitalism, the abuse of institutions.
What do they think GST or any new taxes is? This country can not only cut its budget deficit but go into surplus by open tender. Not being able to cut deficit without raising taxes is basically not only no reform. GST is basically crony capitalism going one step forward.
#6 by chengho on Thursday, 6 May 2010 - 7:20 am
Mahathirish+ Lee Kuan Yew = Najib
Mahathirish + Lee Kuan Yew = Obama
Najib= Obama
What a great leader……
#7 by dagen on Thursday, 6 May 2010 - 8:54 am
Jib + Din = Jidin
Jidin + Kerismudin = Jidindin
Jidindin + Mamak = Din
Huh? Wait a minute. Errrr. Something’s not right.
Oh well. Lets try a different line then – try mamak first.
Alright, here we go.
Mamak + Jidindin = Mugabe.
What!@$#!
Getting nowhere near obama or great leader. Shoot. Try something else.
Jidindin + apco = kosher food
Ooooh! Yum yum. Still no obama or great leader.
Press on. Maybe the answer is right at the end.
Ok here we go again.
Kosher food + 1malaysia = israel
What’s going on here. This is nuts man.
Nuts? I get it. Chengho lost his nuts to GM (genital mutilation). You need to be lighter between your legs in order to see the relationship he drew in comment #6.
Why didnt anyone tell me earlier?
#8 by yhsiew on Thursday, 6 May 2010 - 11:58 am
Freedom to speech has taken a turn for the worse under Najib’s administration. It is outrageous to see his wife give orders to ntv7 not to broadcast this and that events. Who is she to interfere with public broadcasting?
It is a long winding road before Malaysian press can see light at the end of the tunnel.