The framing of the Chinese ambassador’s visit to Malaysia’s Chinatown: A gesture of goodwill or interference in domestic politics?

Abstract

The implications of media representations of ethnicity, religion and related issues are significant because they have the potential to fuel nationalism, spreading fear and tensions instead of promoting tolerance and compassion. This study examined the aspects Malaysian newspapers have created for readers’ understanding of the then Chinese ambassador’s visit to Petaling Street (Malaysia’s Chinatown) on September 25, 2015. The then Chinese ambassador’s visit took place a day before the red shirts rally, which was reported as an ‘anti-Chinese demonstration’ by some overseas Chinese-language media. Through framing analysis, this study found that the mainstream and alternative newspapers in Malaysia reported the then Chinese ambassador’s visit with different intensity and prominence. They also employed different news sources and carried dissimilar valence in their coverage. Utusan, a Malay-language daily and a mouthpiece of the United Malay National Organization (UMNO), concentrated on criticisms of the then Chinese ambassador in its coverage. The Star, an English-language daily and also a messenger for the Malaysia Chinese Association (MCA), reported the consequences of the then Chinese ambassador’s visit. Significantly, the more independent and vocal newspapers in the country – Sin Chew (Chinese-language) and Malaysiakini (alternative) – focused on condemning the racist remarks of an UMNO politician.