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Malaysia In September 2023, government also banned the film, “Mentega Terbang”, about a young Malay Muslim girl who began exploring different religions as her terminally ill mother passed away. The government reasoned that the film was “contrary to public interest” and banned it under the Film Censorship Act of 2022178. 4. Threats Against Critics and Political Opposition The Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) and the Sedition Act have been the biggest threats towards dissidents and the opposition, and this has continued in the administration of Anwar. Many of the cases that have happened are politically motivated, and many are related to the “3R” issues of race, religion and royalty. Records show that the number of sedition cases during the Anwar administration is higher than previous administrations considered to be more conservative. In 2023, there were 28 cases filed under the Sedition Act, the same number as during the government of Muhyiddin Yassin in 2021, continuing a trend that began in 178 179 180 181 182 2018179. Regarding the Communication and Multimedia Act, data from the Center for Independent Journalism Malaysia, shows that there were at least 103 cases recorded from January to November 2023180. The notable case in 2023 under the Sedition Act is that of Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, a controversial opposition leader from PAS and also the chief minister of Kedah. Sanusi was charged twice. The first one was due to a speech he made on July 11, which was seen to undermine the authority of Selangor’s sultan, while the second was for calling into question the formation of Anwar’s government in 2022, which was made possible due to the intervention of King AlSultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah181. The case is notable due to Sanusi being a controversial figure because of his hardline Islamist rhetoric. Anwar defended the use of the Sedition Act saying, “from a policy perspective, we avoid using the Sedition Act, except when this touches on the position of the [royal] rulers.”182 He received widespread criticism for the statement, which was seen Kaur, Minderjeet, and Ili Shazwani. “‘Contrary to Public Interest’: Malaysia Bans Film Showing Muslim Exploring Other Religions.” Benar News, 13 Sept. 2023, www.benarnews.org/english/news/malaysian/ film-on-exploring-religion-banned-09132023092522.html. Liew, Yen Rou, and Amirul Aiman. “65% Rise in Sedition Probes in 2023, Says Suaram.” Free Malaysia TODAY, 27 Mar. 2024, www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2024/03/27/sedition-act-cases-show-65-increase-between-2022-and-2023. Wathshlah G., Naidu, et al. A Report on the State of Freedom of Expression in Malaysia (FOE) 2023. Centre for Independent Journalism, Dec. 2023, cijmalaysia.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/CIJ_FoE_Report.pdf. Azmi, Hadi. “Malaysia Charges Opposition Perikatan Nasional Election Chief With Sedition for Sultan Insult Weeks Before State Polls.” South China Morning Post, 18 July 2023, www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/ article/3228074/malaysia-charges-opposition-perikatan-nasional-election-chief-sedition-sultan-insult-weeks-state. Lim, Ida. “PM Anwar Justifies Sedition Act in Cases Involving Royalty.” Malay Mail, 18 July 2023, www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/07/18/pm-anwar-justifies-sedition-act-in-cases-involving-royalty/80362. 53

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Annual Report: Digital Rights in Southeast Asia 2023-2024

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Language

English

Topic

Digital Rights
Digital Surveillance
Information Operation
Internet Connectivity / Accessibility
Internet Restrictions

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DigitalReach

Date Published: Aug 6, 2024

Abstract: It is undeniable that information technology has significantly impacted human rights and democracy these days. Different governments around Southeast Asia continually attempt to control digital space through, for example, using repressive laws and regulations, forcing social media platforms to follow their orders, and using spyware and similar technology to surveil critics. In Southeast Asia, democracy and human rights have deteriorated because of these attempts, especially for countries under authoritarian regimes.

In order to better understand the situation, DigitalReach publishes annual reports to present and analyze the events and trends around the region. The 2023 annual report analyzes the digital rights situation in eight countries across Southeast Asia—namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam–from January 2023 to December 2023, with glimpses of key updates into 2024, given the timing of its release.

The report format has been changed completely from the previous years. In order to more systematically present the developments observed, the report is organized into three key areas: (1) Legal and Policy Developments, (2) Information Control and Manipulation, and (3) Threats Against Critics and Political Opposition.

From a regional perspective, legal and policy developments in countries that are known to restrict human rights are still mainly about using or coming up with new policies to further suppress human rights in the digital sphere. Countries considered to be more democratic also attempt to change or repeal their laws, but still without a clear sign of improvement toward digital rights.

In terms of information control and manipulation, social media platforms continue to be deployed for political ends, with different platforms serving a specific purpose for each country. The shift toward short video format, TikTok in particular, continued from 2022 to contribute toward information disorder, especially during election periods. The use of video shorts is important when targeting young voters, who played an important role in determining election results in Thailand and Indonesia this year like they did in the Philippines and Malaysia in 2022. State-sponsored cyber armies were also documented, while some governments preferred to assert more effective control of social media platforms. Other important methods related to the flow of information include suppression of media freedom and internet disruptions, which are particularly severe in Myanmar following the 2021 coup.

Judicial harassment is a key form of threat used against critics and political opposition in 2023. It is still common for people in Southeast Asia to be thrown in jail for what they say or do online. Others who do not subscribe to the government’s ideology face online harassment from state-sponsored cyber armies or government supporters. In terms of surveillance, 5 out of 8 countries included in this report have been found to have or are likely to have spyware technology.

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2023-Annual-Report-FINAL-1.pdf
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Myanmar Internet Project

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Annual Report: Digital Rights in Southeast Asia 2023-2024

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