Reporters Without Borders (RSF) warns that the press freedom index ranking for Malaysia could worsen in the next poll if the government continues to wield its powers on the media.

The Paris-based media watchdog said the recent arm flexing of the authorities with the Sedition Act on a journalist and academics as well as the suit against Malaysiakini by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak would cause Malaysia to drop even lower.

Malaysia is at present ranked 147 out of 180 countries.

RSF representative for Malaysia Hata Wahari, said this in response to Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek's remark on the index in Parliament today.

Replying to a DAP MP, the minister shot back that this was due to DAP-led Penang goverment's move of banning Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia from the state assembly.

Ahmad Shabery said this is unlike the BN-led federal government, which does not ban Malaysiakini from covering Parliamentary proceedings.

Hata ( left ) said Ahmad Shabery's criticism did not address the three main questions used to compile the press freedom  rankings. 

"Every year RSF sends a questionnaire to all the media practitioners - online and print. This is also sent to NGOs - be they pro-government or independent.   

"The main questions are (1) How free is the media in the country, is it controlled by government? (2) Is the government completely responsible in the licensing for print media and (3) What are the steps taken against the reporters who report abuse of power by government or leaders?" he said.  
 
Hata said Malaysia's replies to these questions placed it among the worst nations when it came to freedom of the press. 
 
Malaysiakini journalist Susan Loone , academicians Azmi Shahrom and Abdul Aziz Bari as well as lawyers N Surendran and Edmund Bon were among more than 20 people hauled up under the Sedition Act in recent months. 
 
Others include opposition leaders, activists, students and preachers, with some of them having even been given jail sentences. 
 
The government has defended the use of Sedition Act as an effort to keep peace.

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