Ongoing Use of Defamation Laws Raises Questions of Malaysia's Reform Credentials

More than a year since the electoral victory of the Pakatan Harapan coalition in May 2018, reforms of repressive legislation restricting fundamental freedoms have progressed extremely slowly. While steps have been taken to establish a self-governing media council and some positive amendments to the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, the government has not followed through on commitments in its campaign manifesto to repeal or review repressive legislation, including the Sedition Act 1948, Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.

Read the article by the Civicus reviewing the repressive legislation in Malaysia that continue to restrict fundamental freedoms here.