HK ranks 135th in world press freedom, lags behind SG and MY

Hong Kong's press freedom ranking remains low compared to Singapore and Malaysia, ranking 135th out of 180 regions in the latest Reporters Without Borders (RSF) press freedom ranking. 

The report, released on World Press Freedom Day (3 May 2024), indicates a five-spot improvement of Hong Kong from last year's 140th place. However, Hong Kong's press freedom status is still considered "difficult", a label shared with 48 other regions including Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Mexico, and Guatemala.

Don't miss: HK ranks 140th in world press freedom, lags behind SG and MY

RSF's report highlighted that Hong Kong "has suffered an unprecedented series of setbacks since 2020", particularly due to the adoption of a National Security Law aimed at silencing independent voices. Hong Kong, positioned between the Philippines and South Sudan, ranks lower than most developed regions.

Don't miss: HK ranks 140th in world press freedom, lags behind SG and MY

Despite the slight rise in rank, Hong Kong's global press freedom score actually decreased from 44.86 to 43.06, a decline of 1.8 points. Aleksandra Bielakowska, the Asia-Pacific Bureau advocacy officer for RSF, told HKFP that the improvement in rank was "only due to the movement of other countries in the Index."

The detailed score breakdown shows Hong Kong scoring below 50 in most of the five indicators. However, there was a moderate improvement in the political and social indicators, rising from 34.68 and 47.73 last year to 40.43 and 56.51 respectively this year. The "security indicator" dropped slightly from 42.58 to 38.32, while the "economic indicator" and "legislative indicator" remained similar to last year's scores.

The report suggests that Hong Kong's low ranking is due to its direct adherence to Beijing's censorship and propaganda efforts.

Singapore and Malaysia's rankings

Meanwhile, Singapore, a major business competitor to Hong Kong, saw a slight rise in its ranking from 129th in 2023 to 126th this year with a score of 47.88 out of 100.

Despite Singapore's high score on the security indicator (78.89), the country has seen a general decline and is cited as an example of what not to be in regard to press freedom. However, while Singapore ranks higher than Hong Kong overall, it only outperforms Hong Kong in the security indicator (43.15), with a gap of approximately 35 points.

Meanwhile, Malaysia saw a drop in its ranking from 73rd in 2023 to 103rd this year with a score of 52.07. According to the report, while Malaysia seems to have a rich media landscape but the state media, the news agency Bernama and the broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), exert a great deal of influence. 

The report highlighted that the media sector is more dynamic online, driven by sites that cherish their editorial autonomy, such as Malaysiakini, Sinar Harian and The Fourth. 

RSF's 2024 Index emphasises the growing number of governments and political authorities failing to create an optimal environment for journalism and the public's right to reliable, independent, and diverse news and information. The watchdog notes a concerning decrease in support and respect for media autonomy and an increase in state or other political pressures.

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