Minority Group and the Media: Media Coverage on Shia Muslims in Malaysia

Abstract

Malaysia has always been concerned about harmony given that the population is comprised of various races and religions. However, there have also been a huge number of individuals who perceive that they are often marginalized and subjected to excessive action by the Malaysian government. The majority of Malaysian population practice Islamic Sunni and reject any other Islamic teachings including Shia as stated by the Malaysian government. In this context, Shia Muslims in Malaysia have been faced with numerous challenges, including being widely tracked by Malaysian religious authorities for the purpose of minimizing the spread of Shia teachings throughout Malaysia. Nevertheless, the actions taken by the religious authorities have been criticized by several parties, especially the international media and human rights activists. Therefore, this study aims to examine the depiction of Shia Muslims in Malaysia that is reported in the Malaysian media, specifically by a daily Malay newspaper popularly known as Sinar Harian which is owned and linked to the current government’s party. Finally, another purpose of this study is to look at the role played by the newspaper in reporting the minorities in Malaysia, in which in this context refers to the Shia Muslims in Malaysia.