FOTP 2013 Full Report

usiness interests often lead to self-censorship by journalists. Foreign print media areoccasionally censored or banned.The internet remains a bright spot in the media landscape, with the government formallycommitted to a policy of refraining from direct online censorship, through Section 3(3) of theCommunications and Multimedia Act (CMA) and the Multimedia Bill of Guarantees. Witharound 66 percent of the population accessing the internet in 2012, Malaysia is home to manynews websites and blogs that offer competing points of view. Although not all of these internetnews organizations are politically independent—many have suspected affiliations withpoliticians from either the opposition or the ruling coalition—they nevertheless offer an array ofpolitical opinions that cannot be found in the traditional media, and play a growing role in themedia landscape. Social-networking sites such as Facebook continued to flourish in 2012,hosting vigorous debates on political issues and government policies. The internet has also beena place to challenge corruption and other human rights concerns, though existing laws requirebloggers to tread carefully.MaldivesStatus: Partly FreeLegal Environment: 18Political Environment: 21Economic Environment: 16Total Score: 55Survey Edition 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Total Score, Status 66,NF 56,PF 50,PF 50,PF 51,PFThe media environment deteriorated in 2012, due in part to severe political and social unrestresulting from the forcible removal of President Mohamed Nasheed in February and thesuccession of his vice president, Mohammed Waheed Hassan Manik. Harassment and violenceagainst journalists increased considerably, and media outlets faced attacks and closures.The 2008 constitution protects freedom of expression, but it also places restrictions onspeech deemed “contrary to the tenets of Islam.” The overall legal framework protecting freeexpression remained weak in 2012, with many proposed reform bills still awaiting passage. InNovember 2011, the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC), the legal entity assigned toregulate broadcast media, drafted new regulations that would curtail the power and reach of thecountry’s broadcasters through high licensing fees and ownership rules favoring internationalcompanies over locally owned stations. While these changes have yet to be implemented, theypose a potential threat to Maldivian media. In December 2012, the parliament passed theFreedom of Peaceful Assembly Act, which set out a number of limitations on journalists,including a requirement for accreditation by the MBC. Freedom of information (FOI) has beenregulated by presidential decree since 2009. An FOI bill was submitted to the parliament thatyear, but it has been stalled in committee since then.A 2008 law called for the establishment of the Maldives Media Council (MMC), anindependent body consisting of eight media workers and seven members of the public, taskedwith developing a code of conduct for journalists and investigating complaints from the public259