Malaysia / Asia

  
British journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown during an interview in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on May 20, 2018.

Malaysia hands 2-year prison sentence to UK journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown

Bangkok, February 9, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Malaysian authorities to reverse the decision to sentence British anti-corruption reporter Clare Rewcastle Brown to two years in prison in absentia for criminal defamation over her investigation into a major financial corruption scandal. “Malaysia should scrap the outrageous prison sentence given to Clare Rewcastle Brown…

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Political cartoonist Zunar, pictured in his Kuala Lumpur office in 2015. A court in Malaysia dropped nine sedition charges against Zunar. (AFP/Mohd Rasfan)

Malaysian cartoonist Zunar investigated over criticism of state official

Bangkok, May 17, 2021 – Malaysian authorities must cease their legal harassment of cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, known as Zunar, and drop any pending charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 7, police in the northern state of Kedah summoned Zunar, who publishes his political cartoons on the Malaysiakini news website, and questioned him…

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CPJ condemns Malaysian court conviction, fine of Malaysiakini on contempt charges

Bangkok, February 19, 2021 – In response to a Malaysian court ruling today fining the Malaysiakini news website 500,000 ringgit (US$123,672), the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Today’s contempt of court ruling holding Malaysiakini responsible for readers’ comments is a de facto attack on the press and sets a worrying precedent for all media outlets…

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Malaysia refuses to renew 2 Al-Jazeera reporters’ visas amid investigation

Bangkok, August 10, 2020 – Malaysian authorities should allow Al-Jazeera journalists to report from the country freely and without harassment, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Malaysian immigration authorities recently declined to renew the visas of reporters Drew Ambrose and Jenni Henderson, both Australian nationals, according to news reports citing Giles Trendle, English managing…

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Malaysian police raid Al-Jazeera’s office, seize computers in escalating legal harassment

Bangkok, August 4, 2020 – Malaysian police raided Al-Jazeera’s Kuala Lumpur office and seized two computers in an ongoing criminal probe into the global broadcaster’s July 3 report on the government’s treatment of undocumented migrant workers during the COVID-19 crisis, news reports said. Six of Al-Jazeera’s Malaysia-based reporters and staff members are being investigated on criminal charges…

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Malaysia investigates Al-Jazeera reporters over documentary on migrant arrests

Bangkok, July 13, 2020 – Malaysian authorities should cease investigating Al-Jazeera staffers and stop using legal threats to harass the media, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 10, Malaysian police interrogated six reporters and staff members of the Qatari broadcaster in relation to a July 3 documentary, “Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown,” aired…

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Malaysian editor Steven Gan charged with contempt of court over reader comments

Bangkok, July 6, 2020 – Malaysian authorities should drop the charges against Malaysiakini editor-in-chief Steven Gan and stop using legal threats to intimidate the independent news outlet, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 2, a seven-member federal court panel agreed to hear contempt of court proceedings against Gan and his news website over five…

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A man collects supplies over barbed wire in the coronavirus lockdown area of Selayang Baru, outside of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on April 26, 2020. A journalist faces prison time over her social media posts on the health crisis. (AP/Vincent Thian)

Malaysian journalist faces six years in prison over COVID-19 Facebook posts

When Malaysian journalist Wan Noor Hayati Wan Alias criticized a government decision to allow a cruise ship with Chinese tourists to dock and disembark at the coastal city of Penang in late January, a time when China was at the epicenter of the COVID-19 global pandemic, she was criminally charged with causing a public panic.

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CPJ sends letter calling on new Malaysian prime minister to respect press freedom

CPJ calls on Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to repeal Section 233(1) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

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A security guard is seen in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on January 31, 2020. Malaysian authorities recently filed criminal charges against journalist Wan Noor Hayati Wan Alias. (Reuters/Lim Huey Teng)

Malaysian journalist charged over coronavirus Facebook posts

Bangkok, February 6, 2020 — Malaysian authorities should immediately drop all charges against journalist Wan Noor Hayati Wan Alias and allow reporters to freely cover and comment on the coronavirus outbreak, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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