Ethnic Reporting in the Malaysian Media

Abstract

This paper presents a case study of ethnic reporting in Malaysia. It begins with the historical basis for Malaysia’s current racial mix and attributes, followed by an overview of the controlling interests influencing the main media players. The author describes the situation as a powder keg, yet describes a media system that has largely been responsible for containing racial tensions. However, he goes on to ask whether the press could do more; whether greater transparency would lead to a better dialogue whereby issues might be resolved rather than simply played down.