Brunei
Brunei, a country situated on the Southeast Asian island of Borneo, ranked 142 of 180 on the 2023 World Press Freedom Index (WPFI) issued by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Relatively solidifying its 144 position from 2022, the state continues to struggle with establishing fair conditions for media operations due to government censorship and legalized threats to personal safety.
WPFI is an annually released list of countries ordered by their relative score on a survey about the political, social, legal, economic, and safety context of domestic media. RSF compiles the data for it, focusing on information about freedom, pluralism, and independence of journalism in different states. The non-profit organization advocates for the right to free and reliable information.
According to RSF’s public resources, press freedom is virtually non-existent in Brunei. The reason behind this media freedom deprivation is rooted in the political circumstances that affect all other aspects under consideration by WPFI.
As of 1984, the country has been an independent monarchy ruled by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. Even before Bolkiah’s ascendance to power in 1968, the country had been operating in a state of emergency, which has given the sultan significant control over legislation. A direct consequence of these circumstances is the adoption and modification of the country’s Syariah penal code and the Newspapers Act.
The 2013-adopted Syriah penal code incorporates Islamic guiding religious principles and previously established laws. Its 2019 revision has led to the authorization of death penalties for journalists whose publications could be considered sacrilegious or supportive of religious deflection.
The alteration of the Newspaper Act, on the other hand, has made it mandatory for newspapers (domestic and foreign) to apply for a permit in order to commence or continue operation. The permit is issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs (currently Bolkiah). The Act has also legalised prison sentences and significant fines for noncompliance.
Both legal frameworks put the lives of media workers and the content they publish in the hands of the sultan. The lack of true media independence is further complicated by government media outlets’s dependence on funding by Brunei’s oil and gas industry, which is controlled by the country’s ruler. These circumstances reduce the number and variety of media outlets in Brunei.
Radio Television Brunei is the only TV station in the state. Together with the Borneo Bulletin and Media Permata, it is controlled by the royal family under the guise of the Brunei Press Sdn Bhd company. Other newspapers in operation are BruDirect and The Scoop, which, although seemingly private, never cover contentious topics regarding the royal family and religion.
Although RSF does not report any cases of killed or detained journalists in Brunei during 2023, the media landscape has been known to experience maltreatment.
In 2016, The Brunei Times (a domestic newspaper) ceased operation unexpectedly following a controversy over one of their articles. Speculations connect the incident to the government’s ability to legally shut down media outlets for supposedly publishing false news.
In the “2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Brunei”, the US government stated that Brunei’s authorities can also suspend or prohibit reporters, editors, and printers from producing content, as well as seize their printing equipment.
Brunei journalists are trying to Westernise their approach to the media. The Scoop focuses on reflective news coverage, user-friendly website design, and providing free accessible information for everyone. Radio Television Brunei has sent media management trainees to develop their skills abroad. Most of the existing outlets’ dependence on government funding and journalists’ practice of self-censorship, however, hinder attempts at developing independent journalism.
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Maria Hristova is double-majoring in Journalism and Mass Communication and Business Administration as a student in the American University of Bulgaria. Her undergraduate experience as a journalist has steered her towards the exploration of issues with media independence worldwide.
