When you think of Malaysia, you think of lounging by the crystal-clear ocean or eating your way through all the mouth-watering local delicacies. But, beyond the lush green tropics and the bustling cosmopolitan of Malaysian cities that we all know and love, Malaysian media isn’t quite as liberalising.
Although the media adopts a mixed-market economy approach, most newspapers and electronic media outlets are state-owned. Hence, the majority are controlled by the government, or whichever political party is in the ruling coalition. These media companies are only allowed to operate if they have a government license, which must also be renewed annually. As a result, Malaysia’s mainstream media programmes and reporting are traditionally pro-government. As these companies are forbidden to publish any story that threatens the ruling party’s image, many have said that they no longer trust printed newspapers due to the aspect of government control.
However, as news sites which operate on the Internet are exempt from such restrictions, those who wish to publish stories that are not pro-government or politically affiliated, turn to online platforms with no chance of ever becoming a physical print. In recent years online media companies have produced more and more bold attempts at openly discussing issues such as race and religion relations, political unjust, the environment etc., challenging traditional government propaganda-filled articles.
An example of such would be World of Buzz (WOB). Though they are not a non-profit organisation, contrary to Robert McChesney’s argument of market systems not delivering democracy, WOB is a popular online publication with columns ranging from viral and current stories to columns on entertainment, lifestyle, technology, and local happenings. Although their main news-telling platform is their website, most readers come from their Instagram. Hence, WOB has become increasingly popular, particularly with the Gen-Z and millennial population — the leading demographic not only on social media but also in advocating for a more liberal and just society.
For Malaysia’s 15th General Election (GE15), WOB has a column especially dedicated to coverage of the occasion. From gag stories to live updates of the vote counts, this column was used to encourage people to vote regardless of their political affiliation. In contrast, traditional state-owned media was used to leverage the ruling party’s campaign or to weaken the opposition by publishing their scandals. Such as the 1998 coverage of the Anwar Ibrahim scandal, where the deputy prime minister was sacked and jailed on sex and corruption charges.
However, if we are being highly critical and follow McChesney’s definition, the ‘democratization’ of the media is a “media system that has significant non-profit and non-commercial component”.
Following the scandal, the non-profit Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) was founded by journalists, writers, and activists with the aim of fulfilling the public’s demand for critical analysis of prevailing political issues. Beginning as a website, the CIJ eventually expanded into a radio project. But even as they grew, the organisation’s core values remained intact. Today, the CIJ continues to advocate for a broader space of expression, views, and openness of information in Malaysia. They constantly give their perspective on issues of freedom of expression, media freedom and ethical journalism through the release of press statements, articles, and an annual report on the Malaysian media situation. Furthermore, the CIJ also campaigns for the repeal of restrictive media laws such as the Printing Presses and Publications Act, the Official Secrets Act, and other additional legislative curbs on media freedom. As the CIJ was founded on the basis of educating the public, they continue to do so not only through their publications, but also by raising awareness on the values of freedom of expression, press, and information by regularly organising and giving talks on these subjects.
But all in all, whether they are non-profit or not, the emergence of more and more Internet news organisations in Malaysia, and the overall increased preference for online news over print in this digital era, is definitely a step in the right direction towards democratisation, and the betterment of our country’s future.