And thank you Malaysiakini and Screenshots. If not for Malaysiakini and bloggers like Screenshots, according to Freedom House's latest Press Freedom index, Malaysia would have scored even worse than the 150th place (out of 195 countries) that it managed this year.
Myanmar and Cuba are not too far worse than us but we can still boast (to them, at least) that our Press are freer!
Screenshots blogger Jeff Ooi is facing a lawsuit and on-line news portal Malaysiakini could be facing a big one soon.
Read the piece on our declining freedom ranking here.
Jeff and You should get dato'ship for saving Malaysia's grace....
ReplyDeleteSad. Wonder what Singapore's ranking in comparison. Their freedom of press not too good either.
ReplyDeleteDN,
ReplyDeleteSingapore's at 154. Hooray!
Some highlights:
1-Finland
60-East Timor
66-PNG
100-Philippines
114-Indonesia
126-Thailand
150-Mas, Cote d'Ivoire, Maldives, UAE.
158-Iraq
164-Russia
166-Brunei
178-Saudi Arabia
181-China, Iran, Isreali Occ. Tet.
This morbid habit of comparing everything with or against Singapore should be stopped! We should live our lives as Malaysians, not measure up against Singaporeans.
ReplyDeleteWhen we have issues to deal with, we deal as Malaysians. We do not go to Singapore to address our issues.
BTW, go to http://www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/fop/2007/pfscharts.pdf
and you shall find Singapore is at no 154 and status is "NF". Same group as Singapore is Afghanistan.
Majulah Singapura
Good to know we're better than North Korea. When will we be seeing those billboards up?
ReplyDeleteGood to know we're better than North Korea. When will we be seeing those billboards?
ReplyDeleteMalayisakini says:
ReplyDelete"In the region, Malaysia trailed behind East Timor (42), Philippines (100), Indonesia (114), Thailand (126) and (122)."
I think a typo left out Singapore for that 122 spot.
The NUJ statement is timely and I believe the ranking shown truly reflects our state of Freedom at the moment. This is probably the lowest we've ever been ranked and Govt officials should take notice!
ReplyDeleteSingapore is rated at 157. One can get the pdf file here http://www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/fop/2007/pfscharts.pdf
ReplyDeletewe malaysian should be happy and count our blessings eventhough the global statistic shows otherwise. our leadership is doing just fine and if the present government allow the nation to be free like america, we will see killings at every stretch of traffic jams... imagine parangs and kungfus at sultan ismail, tun razak, federal highway, even at plentong petrol station in jb. too much press freedom only presses the rakyat to go berserk and amok over their dissatisfaction over everybody... just count our blessings always!
ReplyDeleteWell, Singapore is a convenient gauge to see if this survey is worth its salt. Going by Singapore alone, I think it is. That means it is fairly accurate. Bad for Malaysia. Thanks shar101, sikenit and Anon.
ReplyDeleteto anon of 11.55am,
ReplyDeleteyo..moron...have you been sleeping all this while ? have you not seen the numerous snatch thefts and robbery and killings everyday right here in our country ? Have you not been reading the papers ? ok...on that I forgive youlah but don't you know how shitty our lives are now that we have to keep our doors locked all the time, keep our eyes on our kids all the time and be vary of all who come into contact with them ??Do you think we live in a safe country...DON'T be a moron and say we are better of then the US... I don't care if the yanks blow their country... I don't CARE... I don't live there... I live HERE in my country Malaysia and I need to know if it is safe for me and my family...moron.. !I need to know everything that is happening...I pay my taxes and demand to know the TRUTH not LIES ...understand...thats it ...I'm upset now..and you can go back to your slumber! sheeesh !
i think the mlalaysian govt. shoulde be commended for allowing bloggers and the rest to exist. the fact that than there are sued or going to be sued indicates that all is free to do things ... why shouldn't bloggers be sued if somebody fells that their privacies had be been compromised!
ReplyDeleteThat is the thing.
ReplyDeleteMalaysia and Singapore almost identical system. Too similar. Same laws, same process to make laws, same process to interprete and implement/execute laws. Same civil service system. Same police system. Same company law. Same incometax act. Same auditing laws. Same criminal laws.
The only different is the military. Malaysian military service was a direct lineage from the British, hence very similar to Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian, Australian, New Zealander, Bruneian, Jamaican, Fijian, Nepali armed forces.
SAF is created from scratch with "advisers" from Israel. That's why SAF do not carry any of the Commonwealth forces traditions and operational commands.
With so much similarity, (which include behaviour, rituals, language and culture) even though Singapore is more "developed", its standing measured from this 'Freedom' analysis is actually further down compared to ours. (I would expect it in the same group!)
Thats the fact of life. As they say in Malay, "Rambut sama hitam, hati lain lain". Or so the say................
just wonder, which is more important.. peace or freedom..?
ReplyDeleteand what's is 'freedom'..?
Rocky,
ReplyDeletethe poster is UP!
*TypicalProgrammer*
ReplyDeleteShanghai Stephen,
I am with you, the idiot (ano 11.55 ) thinks that Malaysian are a bunch of low intelligences citizen that will act like primeval human if we are given too much freedom. i dare say everyone has the freedom to do what he suggested but do you see it happening? He is just a troll that is trying to cover up the lack of freedom we have in our country. I agree with you bout the atrocities we are suffering from criminal in our country. We have thugs running our country how safe can one feel in out country!
Peace would only exist if we are given the freedom to choose it. Peace is a state of stability that is freely accepted and not force upon. A conquered country can be forced to be peaceful without any freedom. I dont think anyone would want that.
Not being fixated but someone sent me this...Singapore is 1st for fast walking. Some 30% increase in speed . Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/05/02/walking.speeds/ .
ReplyDelete1) Singapore (Singapore)
2) Copenhagen (Denmark)
3) Madrid (Spain)
4) Guangzhou (China)
5) Dublin (Ireland)
6) Curitiba (Brazil)
7) Berlin (Germany)
8) New York (U.S.)
9) Utrecht (Netherlands)
10) Vienna (Austria)
11) Warsaw (Poland)
12) London (United Kingdom)
13) Zagreb (Croatia)
14) Prague (Czech Republic)
15) Wellington (New Zealand)
16) Paris (France)
17) Stockholm (Sweden)
18) Ljubljana (Slovenia)
19) Tokyo (Japan)
20) Ottawa (Canada)
21) Harare (Zimbabwe)
22) Sofia (Bulgaria)
23) Taipei (Taiwan)
24) Cairo (Egypt)
25) Sana (Yemen)
26) Bucharest (Romania)
27) Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
28) Damascus (Syria)
29) Amman (Jordan)
30) Bern (Switzerland)
31) Manama (Bahrain)
32) Blantyre (Malawi)
Walking speed is taken as a gauge for the pace of life in those places.
Hong Kong not found on the list. Since when Singaporeans walk faster than the citizens in Tokyo? Also missing is Malaysia. Why, may I ask (looking puzzled but convincing..he he)?
Also missing is Malaysia. Why, may I ask (looking puzzled but convincing..he he)?
ReplyDeletecause we drive round the corner to mamak instead of walking!
Anon 11.55: Get your brains checked. Seriously. You're delusional...
ReplyDeleteBrother,
ReplyDeleteJust dropped by to say that I'd rather befriend a serial rapist than a serial plagiarist.
If we combine what Anon (4.47pm) said and DN's contribution on 'fast walking', we'd get a whole lot of people in this world vigorously walking, chasing peace AND freedom.
ReplyDeleteAnd if we omit their nationalities, you'd find most of these people are 'bloggers'.
Looking for the nearest FREE wifi site. (We're unemployed, they say).
Though we still can't beat the Iraqis. Dodging bullets and bombs is their national pastime courtesy of Hoonaited States of Hammerica.
Well said, shar101.
ReplyDeleteShar & DN,
ReplyDeleteWhat Singapore is doing is more like hurrying and harrying.
Can be considered as walking ah? :D
Mekyam,
ReplyDeleteHarrying? It's Harry Lee's domain, for God's sake.
And if he catches you, there goes all your hard-earned cash, and integrity too.
Shar & Mekyam,
ReplyDeleteGranted Singaporeans walk, hurry or 'harry' faster than Malaysians (don't anyone?), I could have sworned Hong Kees and Tokyolites walk faster than our southerly neighbour. Unless they walk faster only of late, maybe for the IRs and impending F1 night circuit.
With the Internet penetration high (I think exceeding 50 - 60% compared to our paltry less than 10%), I am surprised there is no freedom of press in the Internet. If there is, don't they log into these for alternative news? The only one I know is talkingcock.com.
DN,
ReplyDeleteCheck out http://www.mrbrown.com
Thanks Shar,
ReplyDeleteAny others more 'fierce' blogs? I have yet to see another other than talkingcock.com but I come across plenty in this country.