Malaysia

Malaysia ranks 88th out of 180 in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), scoring 56.09—classified as “problematic” but up 19 places from 2024. Physical violence against journalists remains rare: no journalists were killed in 2025 or early 2026, according to RSF, CPJ, and IFJ global tallies (none among 126–129 worldwide deaths).

A notable exception was the November 2025 assault on sports journalist Haresh Deol, beaten in Bangsar while reporting on a citizenship forgery scandal. Other incidents include occasional physical confrontations with officials, online harassment, doxxing, and threats (e.g., against Rex Tan in January 2026). Judicial harassment via the Sedition Act, SLAPPs, smears, and self-censorship on sensitive racial, religious, or royal topics persist, with partial impunity for rare attacks. Overall, Malaysia’s media environment is dynamic yet constrained by these pressures