S’pore’s Ranking in World Press Freedom Dropped to 160 from 158 in 2021; M’sia at 119

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S’pore’s Ranking in World Press Freedom Dropped to 160 from 158 in 2021; M’sia at 119

Singapore has dropped two places on the 2021 World Press Freedom Index, in a survey of 180 countries.

The survey is carried out annually by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a non-governmental organisation that aims to safeguard the right to freedom of information.

It found that journalism was “totally blocked or seriously impeded” in 73 countries, while it was “constrained” in 59 others.

Last year, Singapore came in 158th in the list of 180 countries for freedom of press, but dropped a further two places this year.

Just above us in the list are Sudan (159), Belarus (158), and Uzbekistan (157).

The top three countries in the list includes Norway, Finland, and Switzerland while the three countries that fared worst are Syria, Laos, and Cuba.

RSF: Journalistic Situation in Singapore is “Very Bad”

According to RSF, Singapore has been coloured black on the World Press Freedom Index map since 2020, meaning the situation there is now classified as “very bad”.

This is, of course, less an attack on the skills of our journalists and more about the things they’re allowed to report.

In their explanation of Singapore’s low ranking, RSF cited the suing of critical journalists, adding that they’re often pressured out of a job and even to leave the country.

RSF added that the Infocomm Media Development Authority has the “power to censor all forms of journalistic content”.

Ranking Omitted In ST Report

Local mainstream media site The Straits Times reported RSF’s findings this year, but made a curious omission.

While they noted that North Korea, Turkmenistan, China were among the countries that fared the worst, they failed to mention the fact that Singapore dropped two places on the list.

They did, however, add that Malaysia recorded the “worst deterioration”, falling down 18 places in the ranking to 119.

Minister K Shanmugam Questioned Objectivity of Survey Back in 2010

Back in 2010, when Singapore was ranked 133 on the index, Law Minister K Shanmugam questioned the objectivity of the survey during a speech at the opening cocktail reception of the Seasonal Meeting of NYSBA International Section.

Minister Shanmugam said that when he found out Singapore came in 144th out of 173 countries in the 2008 World Press Freedom Index, he thought it was quite “absurd” and “divorced from reality”.

The Home Affairs Minister said that while Singapore is not inherently superior to the countries in and around them on the list, he questioned whether “a truly objective assessment will give us such a ranking”.

What do you think? Do you think Singapore’s ranking of 160 on the index this year is fair?

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