Introduction
Since 1906, Malay Press was begun to mushroom
all over the Malaya when people realized that they should take control of
political and economic future by seeking independence from the imperialists
such as British and Japan. Highlighting the controversial issues, raising awareness
about our right, and mount support from the society were the most Malay Press
key roles until the establishment of Malayan Union (Hussin, 2005) .
Newspaper and Magazines have contributed much
in the process of getting independence. Malay Presses such as Al-Imam
(1906–1908), Saudara (1928–1941), Pengasuh (1918–1938), Majlis (1930–1940) and
Warta Malaya (1930–1941) were the early of media awareness who have talked
about the importance of fighting for independence by portraying what had
happened in neighborhood countries especially Indonesia and Philippine(Saat, 2010) .
Media obviously played a big role in giving
national awareness among Malays especially in fighting for independence.
Through media, there were so many controversial topics being highlighted such
as “we” should control the political power, economic mechanism, education
system and social development that mostly have been stressed by the local Malay
writers like Za’ba and Onn Jaafar. All of the media used was said were given a
huge influential in discussing the importance of precaution to Malay’s right in
their soil land (Sipon, 2008) .
Basically, the two premier functions of media
are to inform the public with information and to educate the public about their
right. Other than that it is all about providing entertainment program for
public gratifications. However, even though through entertainment program,
media still acted as a springboard of imagination and fantasy to draw what
public should think about (Lule, 2015) .
In today world, media has been described as the
fourth power in the country. It is because of the ability to influence over
public opinion which able to turn affects and change the situation as they
want. For example, media is able to give pressure to the government in order to
implement and abolish certain policies. As media has been the “voice of the
people” by keeping the government in check, so media ownership has become one
of the long debate issues around the world. The ability of media as a watchdog
is something undeniable. This is proven since before the independence day and
deliberately effective until now.
However, there exist controversial issues where
the media might control the public opinion in ways that contradict with the
spirit of nationality. Upon the concept of maintaining the peace and national
security of the country, the government starts to get involve in controlling
the media. For example, through Printing Press and publication Act, stated that
all media and presses are required to have a license granted by minister in
order to make publications which need to be renewed every year (PPPA, 1984) .
Another big issue of this media ownership is
press freedom. Media was said being tied to so many rules and restrictions
because of this controversial law. Media has been highlighted as bias to some
group of interest and government especially in doing reporting. Even though
through article 10 of Malaysia Federal constitution (FC) stated that public has
right in express their opinion, freely can assemble and be associated, by the
construction of so many laws and regulation as tarnished the concept of
absolute freedom as guaranteed in Malaysia FC (Perlembagaan Persektuan, 1963) .
Agenda Setting
When we talk about the “real power” meaning
that those specific person or a group of people should able to place their
agenda in shaping people mind or thought. Based on the concept of agenda
setting theory that has been introduced by Mc Comb and Shaw, agenda setting
explains on how the agenda is being deployed in order to control people mind
towards something. However, in new media platform, we actually are confused
whether the agenda actually has been set by the media or the public as the public
is the one who owns the media itself. Government will be more likely can winning
people heart if their current agenda aligning with what media and public likely
has agreed (Eld, 2007) .
At last, we can see that the government is just
like sharing the common interest with the other parties. Historically, we can
say that government agenda is the public and media agenda, but literally it is
no longer like that. Press freedom concept was tarnished and it is known like that
because old media that fought for people right was controlled by the ruling
party. In today world, who controls who actually? As the new media is
controlling everything, so the victory of powerful agenda setting was dropped
to the public which totally strengthen the public agenda (Berger, 2007) .
Public agenda is the most crucial part out of
the world. Through new media, public concern is not merely limited to the local
issues but goes to internationally breach the borders. The concept of global
village or closed media environment plays international efforts that expanded
through to every region in channeling the information. This is not only for
public to get news but more on highlighting the global issues; offer solidarity
and supporting activist by fully understand their perspectives (Karlekar, 2007) .
When we examine the concept of new media and
how public place their agenda throughout this internet discussion, public
literally succeed in highlighting so many issues that never had been disclosed
by old media. For example, the issues of dictatorships, censorship, press
controls, corruption, manipulation, propaganda, economic inequality, business
monopolies and many more incredible issues have been highlighted through new
media (Alves, 2007) .
We can call these as the serial power of public
agenda just after they know the media ownership nowadays was turning into their
hands. Press freedom through online sites and free blogging or microblogging
are the platform where they can maintain their power by mounting support from
the other users. Government has lost control of what public has to think. That
is why, if the government make something against with public agenda, their
place as the “ruling party” might be threaten.
Implication
The implication of this turning point of media
ownership from the government to the public actually has deliberated so many
controversial issues. In Malaysia for example, when the former Prime Minister
Tun Mahathir Mohamad launched the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), opposition
party has turned effectively on using internet. The World Wide Web (www.) has
given them a space to mount support from the public. As consequences, the
result of general election in Malaysia was almost kicking down the Barisan
Nasional party who has governed this country since Independence Day (Sani & Zengeni, 2009) .
In general election 12th for
example, Barisan Nasional lost five states out of thirteen and some discussion
about this GE found that new media has become the main reason why the problems occurred.
According to Sani and Zengeni (2009), during that election, Lim Kit Siang who
is the President of Democratic Association Party (DAP) has three political blogs
which have been used as weapon in mounting support from Chinese’s voters.
Furthermore, the President of Justice for people (PKR) Dato Sri Anwar Ibrahim
was found as having two political blogs that have been used in disseminating
opponent ideologies to all Malay readers. Paradoxically, there is no Barisan
Nasional leaders have any good connections with public through online sites.
Former Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi who was responsible to lead the party on that time says that it was a
mistake for his party to ignore the powerful of new media among youth’s
voter.
“We didn’t think it was important, it was a
serious misjudgment. We thought that the newspapers, the print media, the
television were important but young people were looking at text messages and
blogs” – Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi(New Straits Times, 2008) .
In some other perspective, it is not about how
opponent party’s expert in utilizing new media but the government actually
failed to resolve all those sensitive issues. According to former deputy finance
minister, Tun Daim, the reason why BN almost lost in the general election
because it was held at the wrong time. Government still did not resolve so many
sensitive issues such as Hindraf, Bersih assembly, the hiking price of goods
and fuel and many other issues related to the public welfares (Sani & Zengeni, 2009) .
Therefore, we can see basically the public has
the real power not only in highlighting issues but also in shaping this
country. The implication also clearly can be seen in the thirteen general
elections as BN almost lost their power to govern this country. No one can stop
the public to express what they want to and no more censorship exist due to the
public is the one who owns the media ownership now.
Conclusion
As conclusion, media used to be owned by Media
Practitioners before the Independence Day. Then, government is the one who
controls the media due to importance of maintain peace and national security.
However, when new media turns up, public is the one who controls the media. No
more censorship and no more limitation. Everything can be expressed freely
without restrictions. The result of general election 12th and 13th
has shown how this new media has changed Malaysia landscape. Opponent parties
who have turned to the new media basically succeed in mounting support from the
public by highlighting all those undisclosed issues.
Nowadays, public is the one who will placing
the agenda. As the public is the one who owns the new media, so public agenda
literally become the media agenda. If the government or policy agenda is not
aligning with these two agendas, their life as government would not be longer. The
result of GE 12 to GE 13 has explained the importance of government to pay full
attention on public agenda. If there are so many sensitive issues unresolved,
it might damage BN reputation in the next general election.
New Media is so powerful in integrating public
and place a dominant opinion about something. As a free platform and discussion
area, new media can be good and bad to the process of democratization in the developing
countries. If the government is not be given a full right of governing, so
their power to manage this country might be disgraced. A strong government is
needed in determining the survival of the country in international level. This
is why China’s government for example has blocked Facebook application in his
country. Upon the concept of national security, some restriction towards the
internet itself should be done properly.
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