Democratization of Information in Malaysia: A Response to Globalization

Abstract

Globalization and building of knowledge societies demand higher access to information. Besides investing in appropriate infrastructure and facilitate media literacy, countries must also ensure better access, availability and quality of information to their population. Malaysia has taken the necessary steps to democratize information by enacting several liberalization policies, commercialization of media stations and deregulation of telecommunication industry. To foster a role for media in the democratization of information, Malaysia ensure easy access to information for civil and political participation, guarantee the no censorship of Internet, and create capacity to create knowledge in local dialects.

From Access to Gratification: Towards an Inclusive Digital Society

“…For the migrants, who belong to the generation x, literacy knowledge is more important factor and has greater impact as long as deriving gratification from the Internet is concerned. This concurs with the findings by Rahim and Pawanteh (2011) that apart from investing in appropriate infrastructure, facilitating media literacy is also important.…”

Rediscovery of the Malay ‘local:’ youth and TV fiction in Malaysia

“…In this sense, it maintains that the complex relations between being local and global may result in one way or another, forms of rediscovery of Malay 'local, ' resisting the global forces. Specifically, although Malaysian youth are prone to modern and Western elements (Cho, 2010;Maznah, 2008Maznah, , 2011Mohd Muzhafar, Ruzy, & Raihanah, 2014a, 2014b, 2014c, 2015a, 2015b, 2015cSamsudin & latiffah, 2011;Siti Zanariah, 2011), globalization, to a certain extent, encourages youth to rediscover their local, that they 'have forgotten in their drive towards Western-imposed modernization during the past decades' (Shim, 2006, p. 27). In Asia, examples include youth in China, India, Talibans in Afghanistan and youth involved in the recent north Sulu Borneo dispute over (home/host) land that exists in the boundaries of the Phillippines and Malaysia (Campbell, 2013;Heng, 2013;Ministry of foreign Affairs, 2015) who actively recall the return to imaginary good old days, revisiting and strengthening their cultural roots.…”

“…As a result, many governmental institutions have formulated approaches, interventions and strategies (Kuldas, Hashim, & Ismail, 2015). Early detection, prison improvement programmes, intensified arrests, increased court trials and improved psychological centres (Care and Cure Clinics) have resulted in the decline of street-related crimes (39.7% drop) and reduced public perception on crimes (52.8% public satisfaction) (Government Transformation Program, 2014;Ministry of Home Affairs, 2015;Samsudin, 2010).…”

Globalization, Re-Discovery of the Malay ‘Local,' and Popular TV Fiction through Audience Narratives

“…In this sense, it maintains that the complex relations between being local and global may result in one way or another, forms of re-localisation, resisting the global forces. Specifically, although individuals are prone to modern and western elements (Cho 2010, Maznah 2008, Mohd Muzhafar, Ruzy and Raihanah 2014a, 2014b, 2014c, 2015a, 2015b, 2015c, 2016, Samsudin and Latiffah 2011, Shahizah 2012, Siti Zanariah 2011, globalisation, to a certain extent, encourages individuals to re-discover their local, that they may "have forgotten in their drive towards Westernimposed modernisation during the past decades" (Shim 2006, p. 27). In Asia, examples include young individuals in China, India, Talibans in Afghanistan or those who are involved in the recent North Sulu Borneo dispute over (home) (host) land that exist in the boundaries of the Phillippines and Malaysia (Campbell 2013, Heng 2013, Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2015 who actively recall the return to the imaginary good old days, revisiting and strengthening their cultural roots.…”