Malaysia is ranked 43rd in the 2011 Legatum Prosperity Index (www.prosperity.com), an index that measures prosperity not just by money but by overall quality of life as well.

To arrive at a particular ranking, Legatum assesses 110 countries, accounting for over 90 percent of the worlds population, and is based on 89 different variables, each of which has a demonstrated effect on economic growth or on personal well-being.

The Index consists of eight sub-indexes, each of which represents a fundamental aspect of prosperity - Economy, Entrepreneurship & Opportunity, Governance, Education, Health, Safety & Security, Personal Freedom, and Social Capital.

NOT MATURE FOR FREEDOM?

Whilst Malaysia ranks fairly well in most of the sub-indexes, it ranks 96 out of the 110 countries for Personal Freedom, just one notch above Zimbabwe and even countries often perceived as less free like China, Saudi Arabia and Israel ranks higher in this category. The trend over the last three years has also been on the decline.

Perhaps an insight into why we scored so low in personal freedom could be found in a comment made by Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, the Sec-Gen of UMNO, the defacto ruling party of the country over the past 54 years, to a group of independent international observers of the recent Bersih 3.0 protest and the Malaysian electoral system. Tengku Adnan questioned, Are our people (Malaysians) mature for freedom? Further, commenting on political development in Indonesia, he said: One of the problems with Indonesia is that there is too much freedom.

This is reflective of the current governments condescending attitude and view of personal freedom, that it is a problem and only they can decide what and how much is appropriate for the citizenry.

ASSAULTS ON FREEDOM

The lack of press freedom, which is a key pillar of a healthy and sustainable democracy, is also found wanting with most mainstream media companies acting as nothing more than the ruling coalitions mouthpiece and others practising self-censorship for fear of censure by the authority. The attempts to shutdown online alternative news portals by unseen hands using DDOS attacks during or before key events like elections and protests are becoming very predictable.

It is not just the ruling authority who shows disdain for personal freedom. Sectors of our society, many in the form of NGOs, have often expressed concerns and protested against individuals and groups whose views, choices and orientations they dont share, calling for them to be banned, expelled, or even incarcerated. No doubt they have a right to disagree and to make known their disagreement but to deny another their freedom is treading on thin ice because one day it would be their freedom that could be at stake. We should be able to agree to disagree. It was Voltaire who said, I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

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Why Umno-BN fears freedom