Malaysian Bloggers and Journalists March for Press Freedom

Few days ago, Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur was stormed by bloggers and journalist from all around the country, holding Malaysian flags and shouting slogans for only one purpose. They demanded for more press freedom from the Malaysian government (The Star Online, 2 June 2008). There have been too many issues about press freedom being highlighted in the countries, especially in the recent years, where blogging trend is getting more and more popular to the Malaysian society.

More freedom: Journalists and bloggers gathering at Dataran Merdeka to press for more press freedom during the “Walk for Press Freedom” event.
(Source: The Star Online, 2 June 2008)

Bloggers criticize the lack of press freedom in the country, as it is the fundamental requirement for a democratic country to have the freedom of speech, yet there are still too many limitations for journalists as well as bloggers to express their thoughts. Sedition Act, Official Secret Act (OSA), Internal Security Act (ISA) and Printing Presses and Publications Act are their primary fear. There has been a drastic drop for Malaysia in press freedom ranking by 32 spots to 124 in the worldwide press freedom ranking index released by Paris-based watchdog Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF, Reporters Without Borders) (Beh, 2007).

Issues which are consider as ‘sensitive’ could not make it to the daily papers and now, even internet, so called a ‘free media’ to the people, its freedom of press is restrained by the Government. The Government is now aware of the influence of online media to the citizens, especially after the losing of two-third majority of seats in the parliament by the ruling Government party Barisan National. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak comment on the issue, he said that 'he acknowledged that the Government had overlooked the impact of engaging the new media during the recent general election which was a new dimension in winning over public opinion' (Habib, 27 May 2008).

In year 1997, Malaysia announced a no-censorship guarantee for the internet. It was at that time trying to attract investors to its proposed Multiledia Super Corridor (MSC). Our former Prime Mininster Tun Dr. Mahathir promised investors that the MSC would have 'the world's best soft infrastructure of supporting laws, policies, and practices', including a 10-point Multimedia Bill of Guarantees. One of its guarantees read: 'Malaysia will ensure no censorship on the internet.' However the Bill do not guarantee internet users completely, where users can still be charged is seditious or libelous content is published to Malaysian audience, while many are still debating the subjectivity of sedition. Besides that, activists could never be sure how long the government would honor the no-censorship guarantee (George, 2005).

In my humble opinion, I think this is a risk we need to take and worth to take. Oscar Wilde has a quote like this, 'disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who had read history, is man's original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made.' (Wilde, 1881) Afterall, according to the code of ethics, 'a journalist should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information' (Code of Ethics, 1996). This is what journalists and bloggers are asking for, the freedom to do so. However, a writer should take responsibility on what he or she has written, as what Jean Waber said, 'I think that all ethical questions boil down, at some point, to accepting personal responsibility for one’s own actions, not hiding behind ‘I was only following orders’ or ‘that’s not my job’ or some variation on that theme.' (Waber, 1995)

Below are some of the cases arose in our country regarding press freedom issues.
> Malaysiakini raided by police over a publication deemed to be seditious
> Editor of Harakah arrested and charged with seditious

Reference:

Beh, LY. 17 October 2007, Drastic drop for Malaysia in press freedom ranking, ‘Malaysiakini’, viewed on 5 June 2008, <http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/73670>

Gan, S. 28 January 2008, The Day They Took Away Our Computers, ‘Wordpress.org’, viewed on 5 June 2008, <http://www.worldpress.org/Asia/919.cfm#down>

George, C. 2005, Media, Culture & Society, ‘The internet’s political impact and the penetration/ participation paradox in Malaysia and Singapore’, viewed on 9 June 2008, <http://mcs.sagepub.com.ezlibproxy.unisa.edu.au/cgi/reprint/27/6/903>

Habib, S. 28 May 2008, Government to engage bloggers in cyberspace, ‘The Star Online’, viewed on 8 June 2008, <http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/28/nation/21376112&sec=nation>

Swarts, W. 2000, Press Crackdown, ‘Wordpress.org’, viewed on 8 June 2008, <http://www.worldpress.org/Asia/1390.cfm>

The Star Online, 2 June 2008, Journalists, bloggers walk to press for more freedom, ‘The Star Online’, viewed on 8 June 2008, <http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/2/nation/21425908&sec=nation>

Waber, JH. 1995, Technical Editors’ Eyrie: Resources for technical editors, ‘Ethics in scientific and technical communication’, WISENET Journal 38, pp. 2 – 4, viewed on 10 June 2008, <http://www.jeanweber.com/newsite/?page_id=22>

Wilde, O. & Pearson, H. 1973, De Profundis and Other Writing, ‘The Soul of Man under Socialism’, Penguin Classics, viewed on 9 June 2008, <http://books.google.com.my/books?id=ANYo1XCPqt4C&pg=PA22&lpg=PA22&dq=disobedience,+in+the+eye's+of+anyone+who+had+read+history,+is+man's+original+virtue.+It+is+through+disobedience+that+progress+has+been+made&source=web&ots=FOBV3Dfveo&sig=-sq4YYQyZwUNpkJV2KClviJ_Vak&hl=en>, pp. 22