On this day, a campaign selling bracelets bearing names of journalists, who were imprisoned for criticising or covering news unfavourable to those in power, was initiated by journalism students of the University of Maryland. The campaign was meant to remind the world about the unfair treatments received by journalists.
On this day, the World Press Freedom Day of Malaysia passed in silence and darkness.
In the 2015 Annual Press Freedom Report revealed by US human rights organisation Freedom House, press freedom suffered the worst decline in a decade last year, and Malaysia fell from 141 to 142, along with Pakistan and Turkey, and became the bottom fourth among Asean countries. Malaysia was ranked far behind the Philippines and Indonesia, which were ranked 86 and 97 respectively, and categorised as "not free".
In addition, in a survey report revealed by Reporters Without Borders on February 12 this year, among 180 countries and regions, the press freedom of Malaysia was ranked 147, setting the lowest record in 12 years. We were ranked even behind Myanmar, the "bad boy of Southeast Asia" and defined as a country with "restricted" press freedom.
How could Malaysia, a country claiming itself democratic since independent, degenerate to such a point?
The fall of the country's press freedom rankings should blame the government for strictly monitoring journalists in the name of safeguarding national security and fighting terrorism over the past year. It intended to suppress voices of criticism, particularly by detaining a number of journalists under the Sedition Act and Multimedia and Communications Act. Although they have been released on bail after police interrogation, such a move has triggered strong reactions from the press.
The Sedition Act has become a rope around the neck of journalists in playing the role as the fourth power which is responsible for monitoring the government and promoting peace and democracy. It has severely repressed the duties of journalists.
The opposition parties have also trampled press freedom. Some politicians have repeatedly claimed that they defend freedom of the press but once they are in power, they regard media as "scourges" that must be eliminated, not only turning away journalists they do not like, but even intervene in media editorial work, frequently demanding the press to openly apologise or even sue the media. Such practices will, too, harm the press freedom of Malaysia.
Journalists have been acting with extreme caution. They are playing the role of checking and balancing the government and their duty is to assist the government in governing the country better. Taking the media as the enemy will eventually collapse the country.
Translated by Soong Phui Jee (Sin Chew Daily)
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