PRESS STATEMENT
3 May 2025
World Press Freedom Day 2025: There Is Hope - Stop Backsliding and Move Forward with the Promised Reform
The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) commemorates World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) 2025 by paying tribute to and honouring the tireless work of the journalists and media workers, and acknowledging the mounting challenges they face in upholding a free and fair press that serves public interest.
This year’s WPFD theme, “Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media,” resonates deeply with Malaysia’s current media landscape. Notably, Malaysia has shown some improvement in this year’s Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index - rising to the 88th rank from last year’s dismal ranking of 107. While this progress is a welcome sign, it must not mask the systemic constraints that continue to inhibit media freedom in Malaysia, particularly in the face of rising digital authoritarianism and the increasing use of AI in news production.
AI and other digital tools are rapidly becoming embedded in Malaysian media practices. Newsrooms are experimenting with AI for research, content generation, translation, and social media trend analysis. Outlets such as The Star, Astro Awani and Free Malaysia Today have reportedly explored AI-assisted reporting to streamline workflows and expand reach. While these tools can help enhance efficiency and access to information, they also raise critical ethical questions about editorial standards, misinformation, transparency, and accountability.
This shift is even already affecting livelihoods: the layoffs at Media Chinese International Limited (MCIL), parent company of China Press, Sin Chew Daily, and Nanyang Daily, where 44% of staff are being let go in favour of AI tools.
It is within this climate and ecosystem that we have seen the job security and economic livelihood of journalists constantly threatened; with publications like Malaysiakini, The Malaysian Insight and Petra News moving toward massive layoffs and downsizing as part of their economic viability and sustainability measures.
When economic expediency leads to AI being used as a substitute rather than a support for human-driven journalism, the public suffers the loss of contextual, ground-level reporting essential for participatory democracy.
Nevertheless, AI is not the only root of the problems plaguing Malaysia’s media landscape. It lies in decades of authoritarian media control, opaque ownership structures, and legal harassment and intimidation.
The continued use of outdated and repressive laws like the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233 of the amended Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 continues to chill freedom of expression. The passing of the Online Safety Act 2024 and potential amendments to the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1982 risk further entrenching government control over digital media under the guise of public safety and public morality.
In 2024, Malaysia witnessed a persistent pattern of harassment and legal intimidation against journalists and media organisations. Cases such as the conviction of Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown in absentia for defamation and police investigations into Bloomberg’s Ram Anand illustrate how laws are increasingly used to suppress critical reporting.
Journalists from Free Malaysia Today, Malaysiakini and Tamil media outlets also faced legal threats when reporting on critical political controversies, while DNS blocking and the suspension of Awesome TV exposed deeper issues of regulatory overreach, opaque procedures and lack of media independence.
These developments underscore the urgent need for comprehensive legal reforms and the adoption of a rights-based approach to protect press freedom in Malaysia.
Further, the growing influence of conservative values, on the basis of race, religion and royalty (3R) in society suggests a trend in how the government continues to wield existing laws to suppress the press. This was evident in the disproportionate response against Sin Chew Daily over its printing error involving the national flag—an incident marked by unrestrained nationalism and racism that ignored international human rights standards of legitimacy, necessity, and proportionality in restricting media freedom or freedom of expression. Malaysia’s governance must instead be guided by principles rooted in the public interest, not punitive nationalism or political expediency.
Reform however, is possible! The recent passing of the Malaysian Media Council (MMC) Bill marks a potential turning point. As an independent, multi-stakeholder body, the MMC expected to be established in June 2025, could serve as an impartial mechanism to uphold media ethics, resolve disputes, and protect journalistic integrity. Coupled with the initiative by the Legal Affairs Division under the Prime Minister’s Office to established a Protem Committee to draft the right to information (RTI) bill, the media would be better equipped to access public information and relatedly challenge disinformation and use AI tools ethically—strengthening public trust and media resilience.
As such, CIJ urges the government to move forward to lift the culture of fear and threats, and stop backsliding on their promises for reform. We must move towards creating a free, independent and enabling environment for media to ensure ethical, public interest reporting by initiating a comprehensive legislative reform of laws in line with Malaysia’s international human rights obligations and amend or repeal:
● Sedition Act 1948,
● Section 233 Communications and Multimedia Act 1998,
● Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984
● Official Secrets Act (OSA) 1972,
● Section 203A, 298A, 500, 504 and 505(b) the Penal Code.
In the interim, a moratorium on the use of these laws is necessary while reforms are underway.
WPFD 2025 is a call to action. Malaysia must move beyond symbolic improvements and invest in real, structural change.
AI must be harnessed ethically, not as a cost-cutting replacement, but as a tool that complements and elevates public interest journalism. The MMC must be empowered to protect media freedom, and journalists must be supported, not silenced.
Only through a free, independent, and ethical media landscape can Malaysia build an informed society grounded in democratic values.
You are invited to join us at the Media Freedom Day on 17 May 2025 at Gerakbudaya where we will be launching CIJ’s Media Landscape Report 2024. The event is organised by GERAMM and supported by CIJ. Further details will be announced soon.
3 May 2025
Wathshlah G. Naidu
CIJ Executive Director
The Centre for Independent Journalism is a feminist, non-profit organisation that aspires for a society that is democratic, just and free where all peoples will enjoy free media and the freedom to express, seek and impart information.
PERUTUSAN HARI KEBEBASAN MEDIA GERAMM 2025
“Bebas, Bukan Tunduk”
Pada 3 Mei setiap tahun, dunia memperingati Hari Kebebasan Media — bukan sekadar untuk menyambut apa yang telah dicapai, tetapi juga untuk mengingatkan apa yang masih belum dimenangi. Di Malaysia, sambutan ini bukan satu kelaziman yang gemilang, tetapi satu peringatan getir tentang pertarungan berpanjangan untuk kebebasan yang hakiki.
Tahun ini, Malaysia mencatat sedikit peningkatan dalam Indeks Kebebasan Media oleh Reporters Without Borders (RSF), namun angka bukan segalanya. Kita masih terperangkap dalam jerat undang-undang yang mengekang, struktur industri yang goyah, dan dasar kerajaan yang sering berbolak-balik — antara niat dan tindakan.
Majlis Media: Akhirnya Diluluskan, Kini Ujian Seterusnya Bermula
Selepas bertahun-tahun desakan, akhirnya Parlimen Malaysia meluluskan penubuhan Majlis Media Malaysia pada Mac lalu — dan badan ini dijangka ditubuhkan secara rasmi pada Julai 2025.
Ia suatu kemenangan penting buat semua yang telah memperjuangkan media yang lebih bertanggungjawab dan bebas — namun GERAMM ingin tegaskan: penubuhan sahaja tidak memadai.
Persoalan sebenar kini ialah:
Siapa yang akan mengisi majlis ini? Apakah mandatnya akan benar-benar bebas atau hanya pak turut ?
Kami menyeru agar pelantikan ahli majlis dilakukan secara terbuka, inklusif dan telus, dengan perwakilan yang sah dari kalangan pengamal media, organisasi media, akademik, dan masyarakat sivil — bukan sekadar pengampu status quo.
Majlis ini mesti berfungsi sebagai platform penyelesaian aduan dan pengukuhan etika, bukan alat kawalan baharu dalam wajah yang lebih “mesra”.
Kredibiliti Majlis Media Malaysia akan bergantung kepada siapa yang memimpin dan mengganggotainya serta sejuahmana ia berani bertindak demi kepentingan awam, bukan pihak berkuasa.
Pindaan Akta Mesin Cetak dan Penerbitan: Peluang atau Perangkap?
Cadangan kerajaan untuk meminda Akta Mesin Cetak dan Penerbitan (PPPA) harus dilihat dengan penuh teliti. Adakah pindaan ini untuk melonggarkan kawalan, atau menyempitkan lagi ruang pernafasan media?
Kami di GERAMM berpandangan, akta era kolonial ini sudah tidak lagi relevan untuk ekosistem media digital dan pelbagai platform hari ini. Pindaan untuk memasukkan pindaan baru dengan hukuman lebih berat dan merangkumkan media atas talian hanya akan melanjutkan hayat penindasan dalam bentuk baru. Kami gesa, bukan sekadar pindaan kosmetik — tetapi pembaharuan menyeluruh yang mengiktiraf realiti semasa media dan jurnalisme.
Media dan Wartawan: Hidup Sekadar Bertahan
Isu mata pencarian pengamal media tidak boleh disapu di bawah karpet lagi. Bayaran lambat, kontrak tidak jelas, beban kerja yang meningkat, dan kurang perlindungan kesihatan — ini bukan sekadar “cabaran kerjaya” tetapi bentuk ketidakadilan sistemik yang mengancam kualiti kewartawanan itu sendiri.
Tanpa keupayaan untuk hidup bermaruah, wartawan tidak akan mampu menulis dengan bebas.
Kami juga ulangi seruan kami agar kerajaan dan pihak industri melihat semula struktur ekonomi media, termasuk keperluan untuk mewujudkan dana kewartawanan awam atau skim perlindungan wartawan bebas.
AI: Sahabat atau Pemangsa?
Kecerdasan Buatan (AI) kini memasuki bilik berita dengan cepat — menulis berita, menganalisis data, bahkan meniru gaya bahasa wartawan. Ia membawa potensi besar, tetapi juga risiko kehilangan pekerjaan dan penyebaran maklumat palsu yang dihasilkan mesin tanpa tanggungjawab.
GERAMM berpandangan bahawa AI harus diatur dan dimanfaatkan dengan beretika, bukan menggantikan suara manusia yang mempunyai konteks, nilai, dan nurani. Media bukan sekadar mesin pengeluaran kandungan — ia adalah tanggungjawab sosial.
Tahun 2025: Tahun Penentuan
Kita kini berada di persimpangan. Akankah kerajaan memilih untuk mendengar suara wartawan dan masyarakat sivil, atau terus memilih laluan yang mengekang dan menundukkan media? Akankah industri bangkit membela para pekerjanya, atau terus menormalisasikan keletihan, ketakutan dan gaji tertunggak?
Geramm bersama semua wartawan, editor, jurukamera, penerbit dan penulis di negara ini — mereka yang setiap hari mengangkat kebenaran walau ditekan dan disisih. Kepada mereka, Hari Kebebasan Media bukan sekadar hari — ia adalah medan perjuangan.
Sambutan Kebebasan Media (Media Freedom Day) 17 Mei
Bagi memperingati hari kebebasan media ini, GERAMM menjemput semua rakan-rakan media dan rakan masyarakat sivil, pelajar, serta orang awam ke acara Media Freedom Day 2025 pada:
Tarikh: Sabtu, 17 Mei 2025
Masa: 12 tengah hari – 5.00 petang
Tempat: Gerakbudaya, Petaling Jaya
Acara: Pelancaran Laporan Media Geramm dan Laporan Landskap Media Malaysia CiJ, forum, dan sesi santai warga media
Datanglah untuk bersama menuntut perubahan, mengangkat solidariti, dan merangka masa depan media Malaysia yang lebih bebas dan bermaruah.
Kami tidak mahu kebebasan bersyarat. Kami tuntut kebebasan yang dijamin.
#BebasBukanTunduk #HariKebebasanMedia2025
press statement: geramm-nujm
protect journalists’ rights to confidential sources
Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm) and the National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJM) firmly oppose any effort that may threaten the right of journalists to protect the confidentiality of anonymous sources.
Any news should not be judged as “untrue” or “invalid” just because it cites a source whose identity has been kept secret.
Any form of “cooperation” with any investigation conducted by the authorities should also not involve a demand to reveal the identity of a confidential source.
On the other hand, the need to respect the privacy and confidentiality of sources is outlined as one of the eight values of the Malaysian Journalist Code of Ethics published by the Information Department on behalf of the government.
The same need also contributes towards the ability of journalists and media organisations to carry out their role as the “fourth estate” or represent the voices of all levels of society.
Without guarantees of protection, journalists will lose trust from sources with information that needs to be disclosed.
The assessment of the authenticity of the source and the information disclosed, in addition to the need to keep identity confidential, should be determined by the reporter and the editor, without the involvement of outside parties.
It should be noted that the right of journalists in Malaysia to protect the confidentiality of sources has also been recognised as a court precedent since 2013 in a defamation case decision.
If there is a dispute after the publication of an article or news, it should be resolved through the independent Malaysian Media Council which is in the final stages of establishment through a Bill that is expected to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat in October.
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