Malaysia climbs to 88th in World Press Freedom Index, but concerns over AI, laws remain
Wathshlah G. Naidu
KUCHING (May 3): Malaysia has improved its standing in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, rising from 107th place last year to 88th this year, according to the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ).
CIJ executive director Wathshlah G. Naidu said while this progress is a welcome sign, it must not mask the systemic constraints that continue to inhibit media freedom in the country, particularly in the face of rising digital authoritarianism and the increasing use of AI in news production.
'AI and other digital tools are rapidly becoming embedded in Malaysian media practices. Newsrooms are experimenting with AI for research, content generation, translation and social media trend analysis,' he said in a statement to commemorate the World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) 2025 today.
This year's WPFD theme 'Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media' resonates deeply with Malaysia's current media landscape.
Wathshlah said outlets such as The Star, Astro Awani and Free Malaysia Today had reportedly explored AI-assisted reporting to streamline workflows and expand reach.
While these tools can help enhance efficiency and access to information, she said they also raise critical ethical questions about editorial standards, misinformation, transparency and accountability.
According to her, this shift is already affecting livelihoods with the layoffs at Media Chinese International Limited (MCIL), parent company of China Press, Sin Chew Daily and Nanyang Daily seeing 44 per cent of staff being let go in favour of AI tools.
'It is within this climate and ecosystem that we have seen the job security and economic livelihood of journalists constantly threatened; with publications like Malaysiakini, The Malaysian Insight and Petra News moving toward massive layoffs and downsizing as part of their economic viability and sustainability measures.
'When economic expediency leads to AI being used as a substitute rather than a support for human-driven journalism, the public suffers the loss of contextual, ground-level reporting essential for participatory democracy,' she said.
Wathshlah, however, said AI is not the only root of the problems plaguing Malaysia's media landscape given the decades of authoritarian media control, opaque ownership structures and legal harassment and intimidation.
Last year, she said Malaysia witnessed a persistent pattern of harassment and legal intimidation against journalists and media organisations, while DNS blocking exposed deeper issues of regulatory overreach, opaque procedures and lack of media independence.
'These developments underscore the urgent need for comprehensive legal reforms and the adoption of a rights-based approach to protect press freedom in Malaysia.'
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