M'sia ranks higher on press freedom by default
Malaysia has performed worse in the area of press freedom in 2011 compared to the year before, according to international watchdog Reporters Without Borders.
Malaysia has performed worse in the area of press freedom in 2011 compared to the year before, according to international watchdog Reporters Without Borders. 
However, despite that, according to the Press Freedom Index, Malaysia climbed up 19 spots in the world ranking, thanks to downward spirals in countries being wracked by unrest.
According to the annual index launched yesterday, Malaysia ranked 122 for the year 2011 with a score of 56, about 12 points worse than its 2009 score indicating a downward trend.
This is miles behind top Asian country Japan, ranking 22nd out of 179 countries, and second highest ranked Asian country Hong Kong at number 54.
Malaysia, however, tops all Southeast Asian countries ahead of Singapore (ranked 135), Thailand (137), Philippines (140), Indonesia (146) and Vietnam (176).
Factors taken into considersation
According to the Paris-based organisation, the ranking is based on 44 main criteria including violations against netizens, media personnel and organisations, levels of self-censorship, financial pressure and independence of local media. 
The ranking also takes into account the legal framework, including penalties for offences and the existence of state monopolies, and violations of free flow of information over the Internet, the NGO said.
Information is collated through questionnaires sent to 18 partner NGOs and 150 foreign correspondents worldwide, journalists, researchers, jurists and human rights activists.
Reporters Without Borders said that upheavals in the Arab world and elsewhere have pushed for greater democracy but journalists face the brunt as authoritarian regimes try to crackdown on freedoms.
Among the countries which took a hit in its press freedom ranking as a result of the crackdowns were the United States which dropped a whopping 27 spots to 47 following journalist arrests in response to the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Nations which successfully threw out regimes in the Arab Spring went up the scale, like Tunisia which rose 30 spots, but Bahrain plunged 29 places due to "relentless crackdown on pro-democracy movements".
But the region remains on the low end on the index as many of the countries have not yet accepted a free press, said Reporters Without Borders.
Hanging on to pole position is Finland, while Eritrea has slid to the bottom spot.
