Political Rights | 22 / 40 |
Civil Liberties | 31 / 60 |
The Barisan Nasional (BN) political coalition ruled Malaysia from independence in 1957 until 2018, maintaining power by manipulating electoral districts, appealing to ethnic nationalism, and suppressing criticism through restrictive speech laws and politicized prosecutions of opposition leaders. The BN lost to an opposition alliance in the 2018 general elections, and political affairs have since been characterized by a more complex pattern of competition and cooperation among multiple coalitions, creating opportunities for reform and modest improvements to civil liberties.
- In January, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor began a five-year term as the country’s largely ceremonial head of state. He had been chosen for the post in October 2023, in keeping with a rotation system among the hereditary rulers of 9 of Malaysia’s 13 states.
- Police continued to charge politicians and activists with speech offenses under the colonial-era Sedition Act. Among other cases, former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, leader of the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, was charged in August for allegedly insulting the previous monarch in a campaign speech. He faced up to three years in prison if convicted.
- A chain of retail stores was targeted in a series of arson attacks beginning in March, following a social media controversy in which the chain was accused of selling products that were insulting to Islam. Authorities charged representatives of the chain and its supplier with harming religious feelings. Separately in May, a lone attacker killed two police officers in Johor before being killed himself in what was deemed an act of Islamist terrorism.
- The government and courts took a number of steps that affected media and internet freedom during the year. In February, a lower court sentenced a British journalist to two years in prison in absentia for alleged defamation related to her investigations of a notorious corruption scandal; the Federal Court upheld a parallel civil defamation ruling against her in September. Tighter film censorship rules were announced in May, and in August the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) introduced new regulations requiring large social media platforms to apply for an annual license, raising concerns that the licensing requirements could be used to impose undue censorship. In December, Parliament passed the Online Safety Act and a set of amendments to the 1998 Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA), both of which enhanced the MCMC’s powers to enforce vaguely defined content controls without independent oversight.
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For additional background information, see last year’s full report.
Was the current head of government or other chief national authority elected through free and fair elections? | 2 / 4 |
Were the current national legislative representatives elected through free and fair elections? | 2 / 4 |
Are the electoral laws and framework fair, and are they implemented impartially by the relevant election management bodies? | 2 / 4 |
Do the people have the right to organize in different political parties or other competitive political groupings of their choice, and is the system free of undue obstacles to the rise and fall of these competing parties or groupings? | 3 / 4 |
Is there a realistic opportunity for the opposition to increase its support or gain power through elections? | 3 / 4 |
Are the people’s political choices free from domination by forces that are external to the political sphere, or by political forces that employ extrapolitical means? | 2 / 4 |
Do various segments of the population (including ethnic, racial, religious, gender, LGBT+, and other relevant groups) have full political rights and electoral opportunities? | 2 / 4 |
Do the freely elected head of government and national legislative representatives determine the policies of the government? | 2 / 4 |
Are safeguards against official corruption strong and effective? | 2 / 4 |
Does the government operate with openness and transparency? | 2 / 4 |
Are there free and independent media? | 2 / 4 |
Are individuals free to practice and express their religious faith or nonbelief in public and private? | 1 / 4 |
Is there academic freedom, and is the educational system free from extensive political indoctrination? | 2 / 4 |
Are individuals free to express their personal views on political or other sensitive topics without fear of surveillance or retribution? | 3 / 4 |
Is there freedom of assembly? | 2 / 4 |
Is there freedom for nongovernmental organizations, particularly those that are engaged in human rights– and governance-related work? | 2 / 4 |
Is there freedom for trade unions and similar professional or labor organizations? | 2 / 4 |
Is there an independent judiciary? | 3 / 4 |
Does due process prevail in civil and criminal matters? | 2 / 4 |
Is there protection from the illegitimate use of physical force and freedom from war and insurgencies? | 2 / 4 |
Do laws, policies, and practices guarantee equal treatment of various segments of the population? | 1 / 4 |
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement, including the ability to change their place of residence, employment, or education? | 3 / 4 |
Are individuals able to exercise the right to own property and establish private businesses without undue interference from state or nonstate actors? | 3 / 4 |
Do individuals enjoy personal social freedoms, including choice of marriage partner and size of family, protection from domestic violence, and control over appearance? | 2 / 4 |
Do individuals enjoy equality of opportunity and freedom from economic exploitation? | 1 / 4 |