Democracy suffered a further setback in Singapore, according to Freedom House,"due to the politically tinged handling of defamation cases by the courts". Singapore is classified as only "partly free" in Freedom House's just released Freedom in the World 2009 survey.
Malaysia, on the other hand, "showed notable progress thanks to expanded opportunities for the political opposition, fewer restrictions on public protest, and greater pluralism in the media. Thailand experienced a modest upgrade in its political rights rating, though at year’s end the country remained in a state of political turmoil and faced serious threats to the future of its democratic institutions".
Indonesia is the only free country in the 10-nation Asean bloc, according to Freedom House. Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei and the Philippines are considered "partly free" while Burma (Myanmar), Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam are ruled "not free".
Of the 39 countries in Asia Pacific as a whole, 16 are free, 15 partly free and eight not free.
The Freedom House rankings, however, raise the question, would one rather live in Singapore or in Indonesia, Malaysia or Thailand?
According to the Freedom in the World survey, 89 countries are free, 62 partly free and 42 not free, with people enjoying less freedom in East Europe, Middle East, Asia, Africa and Latin America.The full survey report can be downloaded here.
Freedom House says it evaluates a country on the basis of various issues, such as:
- Do the people have the right to organize in different political parties or other competitive political groupings of their choice, and is the system open to the rise and fall of these competing parties or groupings?
- Is there a significant opposition vote and a realistic possibility for the opposition to increase its support or gain power through elections?
- Are there free and independent media and other forms of cultural expression?
- Is there freedom of assembly, demonstration, and open public discussion?
- Is there an independent judiciary?
The Wall Street Journal Asia became the latest publication to be fined by a Singapore court for questioning the independence of the Singapore judiciary.
Singapore was ranked 153rd with Iraq and Gabon in Freedom House's Global Press Freedom 2008 Survey, which looked at 195 countries. Malaysia (141st), Indonesia (114th), Thailand (119th) and the Philippines (97th) all did better.
Asian juntas and free states
Freedom House says:
Asia is a complex and varied region whose democratic achievements are often overshadowed by the volatility of certain countries, particularly in South Asia, and the unfortunate presence of some of the world’s most repressive regimes. China, North Korea, Burma, Vietnam, and Laos have all resolutely resisted political change, suppressed the opposition, persecuted human rights advocates, and refused to institute anything approaching an independent judiciary. Standing in contrast to these dictatorships are the successes of relatively new democracies like Indonesia, Taiwan, and South Korea, and the ability of India to maintain its democratic standards despite ethnic and religious diversity, widespread poverty, and the serious challenges.
South Asia: Freedom in the air
The survey says:
The year’s most significant gains for democracy took place in South Asia. Despite generalized political strife and continued terrorism in its tribal areas, Pakistan advanced from Not Free to Partly Free status due to the end of military rule and the election of a parliament and president in balloting that was widely considered free and competitive. Bangladesh, which had also been under military rule, experienced an improvement in its political rights rating due to successful balloting conducted under reformed electoral laws. Other countries in South Asia that registered gains were Bhutan, which moved from Not Free to Partly Free after holding its first competitive elections; Maldives, which moved from Not Free to Partly Free due to an opposition victory in the first multiparty presidential election; Nepal, also after successful national elections; the territory of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, amid greater openness for opposition parties; and the territory of Indian-controlled Kashmir, where opposition candidates made gains in legislative elections.
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