KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's 19-place rise in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reflects international recognition of efforts to establish the Malaysian Media Council, said Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching.
She said the act to establish the Council had been passed in both Houses of Parliament earlier this year, noting that it aimed to foster independent, responsible, and professional journalism.
"Balancing freedom of expression while safeguarding social harmony in a multicultural, multireligious society like Malaysia is not without its challenges," she said in a statement here, today.
According to Teo, Malaysia is ranked 88th following the improvement, becoming the second-highest in ASEAN, behind only Thailand, which ranks 85th.
She said, as highlighted in the RSF report, online platforms had further hampered the information space by contributing to the spread of manipulated and misleading content, amplifying disinformation.
Teo added that the report also noted that the global press freedom average had dropped below 55 points for the first time, classifying the overall situation as 'difficult.'
She said that more than half of the world's countries were under 'difficult' or 'very serious' conditions for practising journalism, yet despite these global trends, Malaysia's improved ranking had shown that progress was possible.
"While we recognise that we still have a long way to go, this year's improvement shows that progress is possible.
"The Ministry is committed to continuing to work towards a Malaysia where press freedom and social responsibility can coexist and where diverse voices are heard and respected," she said.
Teo also pointed out that Malaysia had taken steps to modernise media-related legislation, including implementing the 2024 Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 amendments, adding that the revisions had included more precise definitions that excluded satire, parody, and fiction from being classified as false information.
"This was, among others, a meaningful safeguard for creative expression and legitimate commentary within our unique landscape," she added.
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