KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s drop form 88th to 95th place in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index merits comment by lawmakers and the government, but has instead been greeted with silence, Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng said.
Calling the dip in rankings a “serious setback” after last year’s improvement, Lim said it was disappointing that neither the government nor opposition had taken the opportunity to call for more media reforms.
“I am appalled and disappointed that there has been no direct response from top government leaders, and equally troubling, silence from the opposition,” he said in a statement to Scoop.
Lim noted that Malaysia now ranks below Timor-Leste (30th), Papua New Guinea (73rd) and Thailand (92nd), saying the position reflects poorly on the country’s commitment to press freedom.
“Press freedom is not optional. It is the backbone of accountability. Continued silence only gives the impression that this decline is being tolerated,” he said, adding that the public deserves a clear and credible explanation from the government.
The index was published and released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) days before World Press Freedom Day which falls on May 3.
Malaysia’s 88th spot in in the 2025 index was an improvement from 107th place in 2024. In 2023, it was 73rd.
Separately, the Malaysian Media Council (MMC) called for urgent measures to strengthen media independence, newsroom sustainability and public confidence in journalism following Malaysia’s latest decline in the index.
It said this year’s World Press Freedom Day comes “at a critical moment” for journalism in Malaysia and globally, noting that the RSF index now places global press freedom at its lowest level in 25 years.
Malaysia, it added, has fallen seven places to 95th out of 180 countries.
“This should be treated not as a point of political blame, but as a serious national signal that more needs to be done to protect media independence, strengthen newsroom sustainability and restore public trust in journalism,” the council said.
The MMC warned that Malaysian newsrooms are under increasing strain, operating in a difficult economic climate while journalists face mounting challenges, including
legal threats, online harassment, safety risks and public distrust.
MMC also noted that misinformation, artificial intelligence, platform disruption and declining media revenues are also reshaping the industry.
The council urged stronger protections for journalists, restraint in the use of criminal laws against media practitioners, improved newsroom ethics, better access to information, and sustained support for the industry’s economic viability.
In conjunction with World Press Freedom Day, the MMC will host the Media Solidarity Festival 2026 at PARC Subang on May 10, bringing together journalists, media workers, editors, students, civil society groups and the public. – May 4, 2026