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Home , Lajim Ukin, Lee Ying Ha, Sin Chew Daily, The Star (Malaysia), Wilfred Bumburing

CHINESE PRESS AND MALAYSIAN POLITICS: AND THE MALAYSIAN 13TH GENERAL ELECTION

1NG MIEW LUAN, 2LEE YUEN BENG

1,2Faculty of Communication and Creative Design, SEGi University , School of Communication, Universiti Sains Malaysia E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract- Scholars studying Malaysian politics often state that the democratic transition of the nation began between the 12th and 13th Malaysian general elections. It was during this period that the dominance of the ruling (BN) government led by the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) was heavily challenged by the (now defunct) opposition coalition (PR). As a result, the BN lost their much coveted two-thirds control of Parliament. In response, the BN mobilized their state-owned and/or linked media apparatuses to preserve power in the upcoming the 13th General Elections (GE13). As such, newspapers such as championed the UMNO-Malay agenda and heightened racial issues within multi-ethnic Malaysia while providing space mainly for BN politicians. In contrast, Sin Chew Daily, the largest circulated Chinese ethnic press in Malaysia responded in a different manner by providing space for the political discourses of both the BN and PR. This paper examines how Sin Chew Daily as an ethnic press in Malaysia, responded to State power during the democratic transition period before the Malaysian 13th general election through a quantitative study of news reports from Sin Chew Daily from May 1, 2012 to April 30, 2013, exactly one year before the 13th general elections. The findings show that Sin Chew Daily gave similar quantity of news coverage to both Barisan Nasional (BN) and its leaders and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and its leaders a year before GE13. Most of these news were published in a neutral tone besides majority of the news were published in the rest of the news sections and majority of the picture used were color pictures.

Keywords- democratic transition, Malaysia, 13th General Elections, minority ethnic media, Sin Chew Daily, Chinese press

I. INTRODUCTION preferences. Such forms of voting behavior and patterns are however nothing new as the Malaysian In 2008, the 12th general elections (GE12) had society, often labeled as multi-ethnic, has been changed the political discourse in Malaysia. This was structured and formed along ethnic lines even before the first time that the incumbent ruling coalition, the the country gained its independence. This is because Barisan Nasional (BN) failed to secure its much even before the independence of the nation, ethnic coveted two-thirds majority whilst losing power in five based political parties have been the main feature that states. The GE12 in 2008 also had a significant impact determines the electoral politics while many on the 13th general election (GE13) held in 2013. In governmental decisions and policies have been GE13, the UMNO-led BN government was not only formulated along ethnic lines (Lee & Mahyuddin challenged by the new voting trend of many young 2015). voters who aligned with the opposition coalition (Chin Malaysia is a multi-ethnic society that consists of & Wong, 2009), but was also challenged by the 68.6 per cent Malays and indigenous communities in demands of the voters and civil society who called for and , 23.4 per cent of Chinese, 7.0 per a two-party system since GE12 (Khoo, 2013). In fact, cent of Indian and 1.0 per cent of other ethnics. 1 The the hegemony of the ruling elite was challenged since uniqueness of the cultural and language diversity of the 2008 general election, when a higher number of Malaysia is also reflected in the growth of the different started to actively discuss alternative ideas ethnic presses in Malaysia, particularly the and views through online news portals, social media development of the different language newspapers websites and blogs (Lee & Mahyuddin 2015). It was such as the English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil also a difficult task for the United Malays National language newspapers. Today, the newspapers that Organisation (UMNO)-led BN to win back the enjoy the biggest market share in terms of circulation non-Malay voters, especially the Chinese voters. This among the various mediums of language in Malaysia was because the majority of Chinese voters had include the English language newspaper aligned themselves with the opposition coalition since GE12, despite the rise and the challenge of internet 1 media that is believed to provide “a free flow of For further information, see Department of Statistics information that plays a key role in strengthening the Malaysia, Official portal at democratic opposition” (Chin & Wong 2009, p.84). https://www.dosm.gov.my/v1/index.php?r=column/ctheme ByCat&cat=155&bul_id=OWlxdEVoYlJCS0hUZzJyRUcv This form of voting preference would cause Malaysian ZEYxZz09&menu_id=L0pheU43NWJwRWVSZklWdzQ4 voters to once again vote based on racial lines and TlhUUT09.

Proceedings of Researchfora International Conference, Lagos, Nigeria, 15th-16th December 2017 1 th Chinese Press and Malaysian Politics: Sin Chew Daily and The Malaysian 13 General Election (248,559), the newspaper Sin Chew political parties such as the United Malays National Daily (328, 930) and the newspaper Organization (UMNO), the Malaysia Chinese Utusan Malaysia (144, 438). 2 These newspapers serve Association (MCA) and the Malaysian Indian different target audiences who are formed from Congress (MIC) that is ethnically oriented, has different ethnic groups and proficient in different contributed to the practice of ethnic politics system in languages. For instance, the Chinese language Malaysia. 4 The other ten BN component parties are newspapers, or in the context of this paper, the also ethnic-based political parties spread in both West minority Chinese ethnic presses can only be reached and . 5 Each of these parties represent by the target audience who can read Chinese. the demands of their respecitve ethnic community as Generally, the Chinese press readers are the minority well as to fight for the communal rights of the ethnic Chinese ethnic community, with many who are group they represent especially during the general Chinese-educated. Amongst the thirteen minority elections. Chinese ethnic presses that are published on a daily A total of thirteen general elections have been basis in both East and West of Malaysia, Sin Chew conducted in Malaya and later Malaysia since Daily (SCD) is the largest circulated Chinese ethnic independence. UMNO that was established in 1946 to press in Malaysia. The ownership of SCD has changed protest the British proposal of the Malayan Union has from Aw Boon Haw and family in to the developed into a strong Malay party that not only leads Malaysian Lim Kheng Kim in 1982, and its current the Malays but also other ethnic groups in Malaysia owner is Tiong Hiew King, a Sarawak timber tycoon through the formation of the Alliance in 1955 and who took over in 1988.3 SCD is a “public instrument” later the Barisan Nasional (BN, the National Front) in to cater for the intellectual, psychological, political 1973. 6 For six decades, the BN has survived as the and moral needs of all groups within the Malaysia longest ruling coalition in Malaysia and worldwide. In Chinese community (Wong, 2001). Besides retaining order to secure its power, especially during the general their ‘traditional role’ as the spokespersons to elections, the UMNO-led BN not only manipulated represent the Chinese communal rights, SCD also the state apparatuses for its own benefit, but also plays the role in bridging the Chinese community with disseminated racial political discourses through the the government that is formed with a Malay majority. mainstream media in Malaysia. According to Nelson As such, the purpose of this paper is to examine the (2014, p.106), the BN coalition “held overwhelming representation of minority ethnic majorities in the legislature and thoroughly penetrated press, SCD on the ruling and opposition parties one the bureaucracy, blurring the boundaries between state year before GE13. and party and the party-state also largely controlled the judiciary, the media, and state and local The Political Structure of Malaysia governments”. Despite conducting regular elections, Malaysia is a country that practices parliamentary Malaysia has been ruled by a single party or coalition, democracy with a constitutional monarchy. The in this context, the UMNO-led BN coalition that has consists of two houses, the Dewan Negara (Upper house/ House of Senate) and

Dewan Rakyat (Lower house/ House of 4 UMNO is the largest Malay ethnic party in Malaysia Representatives). The members or senators of the that established in 1946. Today, UMNO enjoys the Dewan Negara are appointed by the King or Yang dominant power in the ruling political coalition, namely the Dipertuan Agong on the advice of the Prime Minister. Barisan Nasional (it was known as Alliance before 1974) For the , a general election is conducted that consists of thirteen component parties across the West every five years, to enable the citizens who are 21 and the East Malaysia, including the Chinese ruling political years old and above and registered as voters, to cast parties, the Malaysia Chinese Association (MCA) and the their votes to elect the representatives of the lower Malaysian People’s Movement Party (GERAKAN), as well house (Mardiana Nordin & Hasnah Hussiin, 2014). In as the Indian ruling political party, the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC). terms of politics, the formation of mono-ethnic 5 The thirteen component parties in Barisan Nasional including UMNO, MCA, MIC, PBB, SUPP, GERAKAN, 2 For further information, see Audit Bureau Circulations MYPP, LDP, PBRS, UPKO, PBS, SPDP and PRS. For (2016). Latest Audit Reports January- June 2016. further information, see Component Party Barisan Nasional (http://www.barisannasional.org.my/en/component-party). 3 Tiong Hiew King is now the Group Executive Chairman and Executive Director of Media Chinese International 6 The Malayan Union was the outcome of British Limited, a leading Chinese-language media group formed by planning for the post-war reorganization of Malaya in order the merger of Ming Pao Enterprise Corporation Limited, Sin to improve its administrative efficiency and security, as well Chew Media Corporation Berhad and Nanyang Press as in preparation for its eventual self-government. However, Holdings Berhad it was disagreed by the Malays as all persons born or (http://www.mediachinesegroup.com/htm/content.cfm?cha domiciled in Malaya were automatically eligible for nnel=corp&path=corp_04&lang=E) Malayan Union citizenship.

Proceedings of Researchfora International Conference, Lagos, Nigeria, 15th-16th December 2017 2 th Chinese Press and Malaysian Politics: Sin Chew Daily and The Malaysian 13 General Election held on to power without interruption for several For data collection, the researcher has identified the decades. unit of analysis and constructed the content categories Although the UMNO-led Alliance and then BN for each news theme to be analyzed. Each of the news government has retained power at the Federal level identified would be analyzed based on the headlines, since independence they had failed to secure the page number, and source of the news, the news slant two-thirds majority during the 1969, 2008 and 2013 and the picture used. Based on the work of Chang, general elections. The most significant change in Faridah and Kuik (2012), the researcher has designed power relations occurred during the 12th general a coding descriptor and coding sheet to enable a more elections. In 2008 (GE12), the PR opposition coalition systematic coding process. Upon completion of the led by the de-facto leader of PKR and former Deputy coding or data collection, the data of content analysis Prime Minister, , together with were analyzed and presented in frequency and opposition political parties percentage. (DAP) and Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) managed to win administrative power in five states, namely III. CONTENT ANALYSIS FINDINGS , , , and . PR also denied BN its two-third majorities in this election The content analysis of Sin Chew Daily (SCD) on the and the term ‘political tsunami’, describing the ruling and opposition parties a year before GE13 massive change in the political landscape of Malaysia indicates that SCD gave a similar quantity of news and the weakened hegemony of the UMNO-led BN coverage to both Barisan Nasional (BN) and its government was born (Chin & Wong 2009; Kuang leaders and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and its leaders (i.e. 2008). 2227 news); while 1283 news were found in the category of other local political news and comments. II. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY In terms of news coverage on the political parties within the BN coalition, the news of UMNO and its The method of content analysis was employed in this leaders was given more coverage (44.2 per cent), study to examine the news coverage of Sin Chew Daily followed by news of MCA and its leaders (35.0 per (SCD) one year before GE13: from May 1, 2012 to cent), news of GERAKAN and its leaders (10.2 per April 30, 2013. This time frame is chosen because it is cent), news of other BN ruling parties (8.8 per cent) exactly a year before GE13 on 5th May 2013. The news and finally news of MIC and its leaders (1.8 per cent). that analyzed was divided into three themes, namely On the other hand, within PR, more than half of the (1) News of Barisan Nasional (BN, National Front) news coverage was given to the Democratic Action and its leaders, (2) News of Pakatan Rakyat (PR, Party (DAP) and its leaders (56.6 per cent), followed Peoples’ Alliances) and its leaders, and (3) Local by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and its leaders (26.3 Political News or comments. As such, this paper per cent), Pan-Malaysia Islamic Party (PAS) and its examines the news coverage for both the ruling and leaders (16.3 per cent) and other parties that support opposition political coalitions in Malaysia. PR but not members of the PR coalition (0.8 per cent). The nonprobability purposive sampling method was This finding indicates that when facing the ruling BN applied in the sample selection process. In this State power, SCD is mostly concerned about news of research context, Sin Chew Daily fulfills the criteria the Malay-based ruling party, UMNO and its leaders as the leading circulation Chinese ethnic press read by the most. However, when facing the opposition PR most of the Chinese ethnic people in Malaysia, political power, SCD focused more on news related to especially those who are Chinese-educated. This is the Chinese-based opposition party, DAP and its demonstrated by the statistics released by the Audit leaders. Bureau of Circulation Malaysia (ABC) or AC Nielson. The main highlights related to the BN and its For instance, SCD’s circulation for January to June leaders during the research period, in April 2012 for 2015 was 352,761 according to ABC Malaysia. It is instance, were the special interviews with the Prime the biggest circulated ethnic press in this period of Minister, and the Menteri Besar of time. 7 There are more than 1.18 million Malaysian Pahang, Adnan Yaakob; the announcement of BN’s read SCD and SCD becomes a highly influential GE13 election manifesto and Penang state BN’s GE13 Chinese minority ethnic press in Malaysia. 8 election manifesto; the issues of MCA loaning seats to UMNO and other BN component parties; the controversy of the PhD qualification of the MCA candidates in GE13; the criticism on the opposition 7 For further information, see veteran, Lim Kit Siang’s move to Gelang Patah http://abcm.org.my/wp-content/reports/2015/ABC-Circulat ion-Figures-Jan15-Jun15-Newspapers-West-and-East-Mala ysia-Distribution.pdf. http://www.mediachinesegroup.com/htm/content.cfm?chan 8 For further information, see Media Chinese nel=biz&path=biz_05a&lang=E International Limited official website. Retrieved form

Proceedings of Researchfora International Conference, Lagos, Nigeria, 15th-16th December 2017 3 th Chinese Press and Malaysian Politics: Sin Chew Daily and The Malaysian 13 General Election constituency in the state of Johor and the BN’s the UMNO President, Mohammad Najib bin Abdul political strategies in facing GE13. The main issues Razak; UMNO Secretary-General, Tengku Adnan bin highlighted by SCD in the month of March 2013 Tengku Mansor, and then Puteri UMNO Chief, included exclusive interviews with the former Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin. 12 . An exclusive Minister of the Ministry of Federal Territory, Raja coverage on the General Assembly of UMNO Youth, Nong Chik Zainal Abidin and the President of UMNO Wanita and Puteri UMNO were given by SCD GERAKAN, ; the comments of the as well in this particular month apart from the main former Prime Ministers, Mahathir Mohammad and event, the UMNO General Assembly. Other Abdullah Badawi on the upcoming GE13 and the highlights found in the research period included the rumors of MCA Minister, , whom would news related to Sabah BN Members of Parliaments, not be re-nominated as BN candidate during GE13. As and Wilfred Bumburing who quit the BN the Malaysian Chinese celebrated Chinese New Year coalition (the news was published in July 2012) and in February 2013, most of the news of BN and its the news of the celebration of 66th UMNO Anniversary leaders during this particular month were related to (the news was published May 2012). Besides all these the BN’s Chinese New Year (CNY) open houses, such highlights, the news of BN and its leaders were related as at Puchong, Selangor state and Penang state, as to their comments on the current affair, government well as news of CNY celebration at Kuching, Sarawak policies and criticism towards their political rivals. In with the Prime Minister, Najib Razak. Besides that, a nutshell, the above findings suggest that the elites or the CNY Greetings through television and radio leaders of the political parties were the main source of commercials featuring the Prime Minister were also political news for SCD other than the news to attack reported in SCD. 9 A special interview was conducted their political rivals. by SCD with the then MCA President, Chua Soi Lek On the other hand, the news highlights of PR and its in February 2012. In January 2013, SCD published leaders during the research period are such as the PR’s BN and its leaders’ criticism towards the errors of vote strategies in facing GE13 that published in April count in DAP’s party election. Other main issues 2013. The main highlights of March 2013 including highlighted in this month included the controversy of the controversy of the opposition leader, Tian Chua’s “Kak Listen”, 10 the controversy of the guidelines for remarks of UMNO planned the Sulu incursion in CNY celebrations by the PAS-led Kedah state Lahad Datu, Sabah; the controversy of the termination government, 11 BN leaders’ criticism towards the of party membership of DAP Teratai Assemblyman People’s Uprising Rally (also known as KL 112 Rally) and the exclusive interview with DAP organized by the opposition parties on 12 January, veteran Lim Kit Siang. Issues highlighted in January 2013 at Stadium Merdeka, and the news of the special 2013 included the People’s Uprising Rally (KL 112 memorial tribute for the late Dr , the Rally); DAP party election vote count errors; the former President of GERAKAN. In December 2012, “” controversy and the issue of phantom voters. news of UMNO General Assembly occupied most of As DAP conducted its General Assembly on the spaces in the national edition of SCD apart from December 2012, thus the news of DAP General the news about the death of Dr Lim Keng Yaik on 22 Assembly were generally found in this month. In December 2012. In November 2012, SCD allocated conjunction with this event, SCD also published the much of its space to publish the interviews with the exclusive interviews with DAP National Organizing UMNO leaders in conjunction with the UMNO Secretary Teresa Kok and the DAP Secretary-General General Assembly. These included the interviews with , besides the coverage of DAP Women and Youth General Assembly. The controversy over Sabah UMNO’s 9 For the TV commercial, see RM40 million political donation was among the main https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng8eE-GIHAA; for the highlights in November 2012, apart the news of PAS radio commercial, Najib was having a conversation with his and its Woman and Youth General Assembly. The son, Norashman, who is fluent in speaking Mandarin. In the greeting commercial, Najib and his son used a lot of blessing issue of the implementation of AES that grabbed the words welcomed by the Chinese people during the Chinese attention of the opposition politicians, especially PAS, New year celebration. along with the news of the KL 112 Rally was also 10 The controversy sparked when a forum moderator published. Other news highlights in the research Sharifah Zohra Jabeen Syed Shah Miskin was verbal period were the issues of the resignation of the DAP assaulted on second year law student Bawani KS on Dec 8, Vice-Chairman Tunku Aziz in May 2012 and the 2012 during the forum ‘Seiringkah mahasiswa dan politik’ ( Are undergraduates and politics aligned?) at Universiti Utara Malaysia. See http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/219557. 12 Puteri UMNO is “a movement set up in 2001 to engage 11 See with youngsters, particularly women aged 35 and below and http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/pas- who are in college or working” as the women’s youth wing washes-hands-of-kedah-cny-rules . of the UMNO party (Rashid Ahmad, 2012)

Proceedings of Researchfora International Conference, Lagos, Nigeria, 15th-16th December 2017 4 th Chinese Press and Malaysian Politics: Sin Chew Daily and The Malaysian 13 General Election Himpunan Hijau ke (the Green Assembly to the state constituencies contested in GE12. After this, Putrajaya) in June 2012. SCD as the largest circulation Chinese minority ethnic In terms of page number, the majority of the news of press was found to give most of its news coverage to BN and its leaders (90.8 per cent), PR and its leaders political news related to the Malaysian general (95.9 per cent) and other local political news and election one year before GE13 due to the importance comments (94.7 per cent) was published in the rest of of the election that could present the same results of the news section in SCD. Besides, most of the source GE12. The news coverage of SCD in responding to the of the news for BN and its leaders were from the BN change of political climate in Malaysia, especially ruling parties and BN government, whilst most of the before GE13 was also in line with the requirements for source of news for PR and its leaders were from the PR news selection, such as ‘the power elite’ (meaning that opposition parties and the PR government (PR formed stories concerning powerful individuals, the government in the states of Kedah, Penang, organizations or institution), ‘magnitude’ (meaning Selangor and Kelantan after GE12). The main source that the stories are significant or in potential impact), of news for other local political news and comments and ‘relevance’ (meaning that the issues are relevant were from the readers’ viewpoints or opinion that to the audience) as asserted by Harcup and O’ Neil published in the “Opinion Corner” in SCD. (2001). Evidently, the Malaysian political news was In terms of news slant, the majority of the news of the most important news agenda to SCD during the BN and its leaders (73.6 per cent), PR and its leaders research period as GE13 involved the power elites or (76.9 per cent) and other local political news and the political leaders in both ruling and opposition comments (91.4 per cent) reported in SCD during the parties, besides GE13 gave impact to the Malaysian research period were in a neutral tone. In terms of nation in general and also relevant to the target picture used, more pictures were used in the reporting audience of SCD whom are the Chinese minority of BN and its leaders (1719 pictures) compared to PR ethnic group in Malaysia. and its leaders (1505 pictures) and the other local The representation of SCD of the ruling and political news and comments (727 pictures). The opposition parties before GE13 clearly indicates the majority of the picture used in the news of BN and its tension between the Chinese minority ethnic press and leaders (73.5 per cent), PR and its leaders (66.0 per the ruling State power as well as the political power of cent) and other local political news and comments the opposition. In facing the UMNO-led BN ruling (77.9 per cent) was color pictures. government, SCD, together with the other media in Malaysia, is restricted by the media regulations such IV. DISCUSSION as the Printing Presses and Publication Act (PPPA), the Sedition Act and the Official Secret Act (OSA), The general election is an important political event in examples of the state apparatuses use by the BN Malaysia every five years and it always grabs the government to constrain the media freedom in attention of the media in Malaysia. GE13 held on May Malaysia since independence. The publishing permit 5, 2013 became more significant to Malaysians as well of SCD for example, has been suspended in 1987 as the UMNO-led BN government as the BN was during Mahathir’s premiership while in 2008, its struggling to win back the two-third majority in senior reporter Tan Hoon Cheng was detained under Parliament after it has lost it in the GE12 in 2008. BN the Internal Security Act (ISA). Learning from these also lost its rule in five states’ to the opposition PR two lessons, SCD has to be more cautious in reporting coalition in GE12. Hence, the hegemony of the news related to Malaysian politics especially before UMNO-led BN government continued to be GE13. challenged by the (now defunct) PR coalition before The empirical data also shows that SCD has used GE13. Generally, the period between GE12 and GE13 ‘balance’ and ‘fair’ reportings to legitimize its news witnessed a democratic transition of Malaysian treatment on both news on ruling and political parties politics as the Malaysian civil society was called for a a year before GE13. The editorial decision to give two-party system at the Federal government level and equal news quantity in reporting both BN and its a check and balance within the strong party-state of leaders and PR and its leaders, with a neutral tone also UMNO and BN coalition who rules the country since found in the other local political news and comments, the independence in 1957. There was also a strong obviously shows that SCD feared to be critical of the possibility that party alternation could take place at the political parties before GE13. In this study, SCD is Federal government level in GE13. found to tolerate its independent role as a newspaper On top of that, the results of GE12 indicated that that should report the truth and inform the voters most of the Chinese minority ethnic people in before elections, as well as to disclose the wrongdoing Malaysia gave their support to the opposition parties, of government officials by allowing political especially DAP and PKR. Penang state, for instance, intervention in the process of its news manufacturing, witnessed that the Chinese voted against BN as the especially during the research period. This shows that Penang MCA and GERAKAN candidates lost in all the possibility of having a party alternation at Federal

Proceedings of Researchfora International Conference, Lagos, Nigeria, 15th-16th December 2017 5 th Chinese Press and Malaysian Politics: Sin Chew Daily and The Malaysian 13 General Election government level in GE13 has influenced the political In the traditional liberal theory, the principal news manufacturing in SCD before GE13 due to the democratic role of the media is to check on the state. fear of the State and opposition political powers that The media should monitor the full range of state consist of dominant classes or elites in both BN and activity and fearlessly expose abuses of official PR, whom, according to Marx’s theoretical account of authority (Curran, 2002, p. 217). However, the the state, set the state policy which derives research findings show that SCD neither serves the government in a capitalist society to develop the Malaysian society by investigating the abuse of economic base and coercively maintain social stability authority by public officials nor practice investigative (Dunleavy & O'Leary, 1987, p.211). journalism, especially before GE13. This is due to the Besides that, by emphasizing the news of UMNO consideration on issues of survival of SCD, as the and MCA from the ruling coalition, and DAP and suspension of its publication permit would cause PKR from the opposition coalition, it once again financial losses to SCD and Media Chinese proves that SCD as a Chinese minority ethnic press, International Limited that owns SCD. In short, SCD was kept within the ethnic politics of the Malays and has been cautious in handling the political news of the non-Malays and was trying to survive in this both BN and PR before GE13 as the roles of Chinese political system, especially before GE13. On one minority ethnic press was not only restricted by the hand, SCD is aware that the Malays in UMNO ruling State power, and for the sake of its own represented the dominant political power in BN (economic) survival. coalition, and PKR, represented the Malay dominant in the opposition camp. However, as a Chinese CONCLUSION minority ethnic press, SCD has to also pay much attention to Chinese politics, in this context the The study of Sin Chew Daily (SCD) as the largest politics of DAP and MCA before GE13 because SCD circulated Chinese minority ethnic press and its has positioned itself as a Chinese people’s newspaper. representation of the ruling and opposition political Due to the fear of offending the ruling state and parties in the context of the democratic transition opposition political power, the Chinese minority period between the GE12 in 2008 and the GE13 in ethnic press SCD was found to be only reporting and 2013 was meant to examine how SCD responded to quoting what said by the political leaders from both the State power as well as the opposition political sides without providing a debate and discussion power during the research period of a year before platform for issues related to democratization in GE13. Malaysia, such as issues of mono-ethnic politics that The findings of this study show that the SCD had has been practiced for a long time in Malaysia. This is tolerated its editorial policy to report impartially when in contrast with the multiethnic politics called for by come to the news of those in power, namely the State civil society; issues of press freedom as well as the and the opposition political power. Evidently, the state first-past-the-post electoral system that allows for control on the media, such as the use of various media manipulation through vote-seat proportionality, laws, and concentration and political ownership have malapportionment and gerrymandering in restrained SCD to play its democratic role such as constituency delineation (Lim, 2002; Muhammad being an independent discussion and debate platforms Fathi Yusof, 2016; Ostwald, 2013; Wong, Chin, of the public, scrutinizing the government, checking Norani Othman, 2010). In addition, the practice of on the state and exposing the abuse of official SCD by quoting the statements from the official authority without fear, besides assisting the voters to sources such as government officials and prominent make an informed choice at election time (Curran, public figures, reporting the news in neutral tones, 2002). The findings of this study show that the shifting the editorial policy to accommodate the Chinese minority ethnic press SCD have failed to demands of those in power and foregoing its role as create the public sphere that promotes the the fourth estate during the research period, was development of an informed citizenry before GE13 meant to avoid controversy on how the news was (Herbamas 1962, as cited in Ali Salman & Mohd Safar selected, as asserted by McChesney (2008, p.31-32) Hashim, 2011). The findings also indicate the that professional journalism sees anything done by symbiotic relationship between the Chinese minority official sources, such as government officials and ethnic press SCD with the UMNO party which prominent public figures as the basis for legitimate challenges the news organization to balance the news.13 ‘public’s rights to know’ against the ability of the state to exploit news coverage to promote their beliefs, especially during the general election. 13 Professional Journalism was popular after 1900 due to the demand that journalism should be neutral and unbiased. It was argued that trained editors and reporters were granted not the politics of the owners and the advertisers or their autonomy by the owners to make the editorial decisions and commercial interest to maximize profit (McChesney, 2008, these decisions were based on their professional judgment, p.29).

Proceedings of Researchfora International Conference, Lagos, Nigeria, 15th-16th December 2017 6 th Chinese Press and Malaysian Politics: Sin Chew Daily and The Malaysian 13 General Election REFERENCES M. Electoral politics in Southeast Asia& East Asia. (pp. 101-148).Singapore: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. [11] Mardiana Nordin & Hasnah Hussiin. (2014). Malaysian studies. [1] Ali Salman & Mohd Safar Hashim. (2011). New media and (2nd ed.). : Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. democracy: The Changing political landscape in Malaysia. McChesney, R.W. (2008). The political economy of media: Akademika. 81(1), 15-21. Retrieved from [12] Enduring issues, emerging dilemmas. New York: Monthly file:///C:/Users/user/Downloads/54a10fa80cf256bf8bae230d.p Review Press. df Muhammad Fathi Yusof. (2016). A critical analysis of the application [2] Chang, P.K, Faridah Ibrahim & Kuik, C.C. (2012). Ethnic media of first past-the-post (FPTP) in the Malaysian electoral system. and nation building: Issues, perceptions and challenges. Kuala Retrieved from http://razakschool.utm.my/fathi/ Lumpur: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. wp-content/uploads/sites/154/2016/11/BBAP-2016-01-A-Criti [3] Chin, J. & Wong, C.H. (2009). Malaysia’s electoral upheaval. cal-Analysis-of-the-Application-of-First-Past-The-Post- Journal of Democracry, 20 (3), pp.71-85. Retrieved from FPTP-in-the-Malaysian-Electoral- System-1.pdf http://www.journalofdemocracy.org/sites/default/files/Chin-20- [14] Nelson, J.M. (2014). Will Malaysia follow the path of Taiwan 3.pdf and Mexico? Journal of Democracy. 25(3), pp.105-119.doi: [4] Curran, J. (2002). Media and power. London: Routledge. 10.1353/jod.2014.0047. Retrieved from [5] Dunleavy, P. & O'Leary, B. (1987). Theories of the state: The http://muse.jhu.edu.scihub.club/journals/journal_of_democracy politics of liberal democracy. London: Macmillan Education /v025/25.3.nelson.html Ltd. [15] Otswald, K. (2013). How to win a lost election: Harcup, T. & O’ Neil, D. (2001). What Is News? Galtung and Ruge Malapportionment and Malaysia’s 2013 general election, The revisited. Journalism Studies. 2 (2), pp. 261-280. Retrieved from Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International http://www.tandfonline. Affairs, 102 (6), pp.521-532, DOI: com/doi/pdf/10.1080/14616700118449?needAccess=true 10.1080/00358533.2013.857146 th [7] Khoo, B.T. (Ed). (2013). 13 general election in Malaysia: [16] Rashid Ahmad. (2012, November 27). Puteri must wake up from Issues, outcomes and implications. Interim Report 2013. Chiba: deep slumber. FMT News. Retrieved from IDE-JETRO. Retrieved from http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/ http://www.ide.go.jp/Japanese/Publish/Download/Kidou/pdf/20 2012/11/27/puteri-must-wake-up-from-deep-slumber/ 13malaysia_03.pdfLarry [17] Wong, C.H, Chin, J. & Norani Othman. (2010). Malaysia- [8] Kuang, K.K.S. (2008). Political tsunami: General election 2008 towards a topology of an electoral one-party state. in Malaysia. In Junk, O.L. & Mohiudin Ahman. (eds.). Voices Democratization. 17(5), pp.920-949. Retrieved from through ballot: Overview of Asian Elections 2008. (pp.81-112). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254230823_Malaysia Soul: Korea Democracy Foundation. Retrieved _towards_a_topology_of_an_electoral_one-party_state from http://www.kuangkeng.com/2014/08/12/political-tsunami-gene [18] Wong, J.W.O. (2001). MCA and dailies: of history, perils and ral-election2008-in-malaysia/ grand strategies. Retrieved from [9] Lee, Y.B. & Mahyuddin, A. (2015). Liberalization of the http://www.malaysiakini.com/News/2001/06/2001060101.php Malaysian media and politics: New media, strategies and 3 contestation. Media Watch, 6 (3), pp. 296-308. [10] Lim, H.H. (2002). Electoral politics in Malaysia: Managing election in a plural society. In Croissant, A., Bruns, G. & John,

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