KUALA LUMPUR: Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil says he accepts "with an open heart" Malaysia's drop in the World Press Freedom Index.
"There's a lot to reflect on in balancing efforts to ensure press freedom and fighting slander and fake news," he said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Fahmi said he and his team will study the report and work on improving moving forward.
It was reported earlier today that Malaysia's standing in the index produced by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) declined by 34 places to 107th from its previous rank of 73rd.
The World Press Freedom Index 2024 reported that Malaysia's score now stands at 52.07 points compared to 62.83 last year.
Last year, Malaysia saw a notable leap of 40 places to 73rd in the World Press Freedom Index, compared to 2022 when it was positioned at 113th with 51.55 points.
This decline places Malaysia below its neighbouring country Thailand (ranked 87th) and positions it as the second highest-ranking ASEAN country, surpassing Indonesia (111th), Brunei (117th), Singapore (126th), the Philippines (134th), Cambodia (151st), Laos (153rd), Myanmar (171st), and Vietnam (174th).
After three years, Malaysia no longer holds the top position among Asean countries, with Thailand now securing the 87th spot.
Nevertheless, Malaysia trails behind nations such as Nepal (74th), Serbia (98th), Israel (101st), Mozambique (105th), and Maldives (106th).
The World Press Freedom Index looks at the level of media freedom in 180 countries.
