Malaysia’s Media Risks Falling Deeper Into Chinese Global Media Offensive – Analysis

May 29 is the National Journalists Day in Malaysia. Independence of the media remains at the most critical stage of importance for the country and the world. It has to remain free from internal political dictate and influence and the equally important, if not more crucial, the influence of foreign powers and their attempts to sway and interfere in local and public discourse and awareness.

Awareness on the need to shield the media and to ensure journalists get a free and open discourse and opening for an independent reporting has been extensively improved over the decade, but the same thing cannot be said on the state of foreign influence and swaying attempts to dictate local discourse.

China is ramping up efforts to influence policy and public opinion in the large swaths of the world, form this region to Europe. As in the region, the EU is largely ignorant and blind to these attempts, as pointed out by experts.

As reported by Politico, quoting Ivana Karásková, a foreign influence specialist who’s advising European Commission Vice President Věra Jourová, since 2019, China’s approach to the EU has been “hardening” as it ramps up direct propaganda via so-called wolf warrior diplomats; as well as covert funding of think tanks, academic institutions and nonprofit organizations.

Beijing has long aimed propaganda at the European Union, seeking to undermine transatlantic unity and promote Beijing’s outlook on world affairs.

The same model is used in the region and increasingly in the country, as pointed out by the latest Freedom House report on Beijing’s global media influence and soft power efforts.

As one of the most overt examples of Chinese attempts to sway European public opinion, Karásková cited the case of two commercial radio stations in the Czech Republic that had been regularly receiving content, including pre-written scripts, from China Radio International, a state broadcaster.

The warning from Karásková comes as the European Commission is unveiling a new initiative of a “defense of democracy” package of legislation in seeking to combat foreign attempts to undermine EU democracy and interests.

Amidst the growing Chinese efforts to seek to sway and dictate regional sentiments and interests, the momentum of pushback is gaining momentum, unlike Malaysia.

Karásková pointed out the mushrooming of NGOs and think tanks with Chinese funding,and similar trends have been observed in the region and Malaysia but the level of awareness remains sadly and dangerously low.

This is further exacerbated by the trapped dogma that the Malaysian media and journalists face in trying to point out the truth, as most are tied to these external sources of funding and revenue and remain dependent on their advertising funding and also pressure to dictate.

Malaysia is placed as the 10th country most influenced by China by China Index, a database relaunched on December 8, 2022 by DoubleThink Labs.

This study that measures Beijing’s expanding global sway mentioned Malaysia’s links to and dependency on Beijing, in terms of foreign and domestic policy, technology, and the economy that make the country particularly susceptible to Chinese influence.

In compiling the China Index, the research team focused on nine categories to track influence around the world that include higher education, domestic politics, economic ties, foreign policy, law enforcement, media, military cooperation, cultural links, and technology.

For Malaysia, the entrenched economy and trade dependence remains the deepest stumbling block to future comprehensive risk patterns and policy independence and flexibility.Trade and investment were an early impetus for Beijing’s global sway, but Chinese influence in foreign policy, local media, and increasingly in defense and security has been the predominant pursuit with ripple effects seen throughout, especially in Malaysia.
The latest Freedom House Report of 2022 has highlighted the extent and impact of the global Chinese media sway, including Malaysia, in which we are ranked as ‘High’. The intensity of Beijing’s media influence efforts was designated as High or Very High in 16 of the 30 countries examined in the study.
The report outlined that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its proxies are using more sophisticated and coercive tactics to shape media narratives and suppress critical reporting.
Mass distribution of Beijing-backed content via mainstream media, harassment and intimidation of outlets that publish news or opinions disfavored by the Chinese government, and the use of cyberbullying, fake social media accounts, and targeted disinformation campaigns are among the tactics that have been employed more widely since 2019, according to the report.
A growing number of countries have demonstrated considerable resistance in recent years, but Beijing’s tactics are simultaneously becoming more sophisticated, more aggressive, and harder to detect.
For Malaysia, the Freedom House report highlighted a series of sustained Chinese efforts. Chinese state narratives in Malaysia follow the standard Chinese propaganda package: a mixture of rapport building, positive promotion of China and the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) governance model, and counter narrative to international criticism, particularly from the United States.
The report pointed out the strong influence on Chinese-language media, including via disinformation where it states that 90 percent of the country’s Chinese-language media is owned by a Chinese-Malaysian tycoon with strong business interests in China. The editorial lines of these outlets are accordingly dominated by pro- Beijing narratives and Chinese-language media publish less on politically sensitive topics compared to their English and Malay counterparts. Global Chinese-language disinformation campaigns have penetrated Chinese diaspora media in Malaysia on topics like pro democracy protests in Hong Kong.
It is reported that there are reprisals for critical reporting and hence the pursuit of self-censorship, wary that critical reporting may result in retribution or harm bilateral ties.
As stated in the report’s future trajectory of Beijing’s influence, the narratives on the South China Sea would be made a key parameter. As tensions continue to grow over territorial issues in the South China Sea, local media have been careful to not villainize China while still respecting local sentiments toward Malaysia’s territories. The report opines that Beijing or some local actors may in turn feel the need to apply greater pressure on media owners and journalists to support Beijing’s position or avoid critical reporting.
Direct and exclusive groups in social media were created with journalists in the efforts to communicate directly the views and intent of Beijing, apart from holding closed sessions with the media on issues including Xinjiang.Distorted content including outright disinformation from Chinese state media and other pro-CCP outlets reached Chinese-language media in Malaysia.
Chinese state presence on television and social media has been growing, with self censorship being rampant in the media fraternity for the fear of Chinese reprisal especially in the threat of pulling off advertisement and pressure exerted on the management of the media outlets.
The strategies go a long way, from partnering with local broadcasters to supporting publications of Malay language contents and books portraying Chinese culture and history from the Chinese perspective, including Malay translations of Chinese contents, as reported in the Freedom House analysis.
Subsidised journalist trips to Xinjiang with the hope of projecting a new narrative and perspective on the issue have been regularly organised, with notable impact on the outline and direction of reporting with the hope of capturing the buy-in from the public.
China is seen as too critical in economic security and for local regime security with the often harped about RM170 billion investments “at stake”. This has again been made the pretext to justify any toning down of China critical reports or opinion pieces.
Critical opinion pieces on China, our policy with Beijing or China’s strategic agenda in the region and the country have mostly been censored or snubbed altogether, even pulled. There have been overwhelming pro-Beijing pieces and voices in the media, whether in print or otherwise.
It does not take an ignorant person to sense the predominant pro China sentiments and anti West disdain in the local reporting scene, from the readers to contributors and authors in the opinion segments, which are given ample space and coverage. The same cannot be said for differing arguments and analysis that take on the side of the West.
The hypocrisy remains that overwhelming space is given to pro China narratives and anti-US voices, while the already few and dwindling counter narratives are often pushed back, all while trying to portray that the media remains free and independent.
It strengthens the narrative that you can criticise the US and the West all you want, with their perceived atrocities and biasness, but you cannot do the same with China.
The report also highlighted inadequate government responses leaving countries vulnerable to Chinese efforts. Declines in press freedom and gaps in media regulations have reduced democratic resilience and created greater opportunities for future CCP media influence. In 23 countries, political leaders launched attacks on domestic media or exploited legitimate concerns about Chinese influence to impose arbitrary restrictions, target critical outlets, or fuel xenophobic sentiment.

The report also pointed out disinformation campaigns that have gained intensity, with Malaysia being at the epicentre of a couple of major Chinese-language and pro Beijing disinformation campaigns who take their repetitious material directly from Chinese-language content farms.

Editorial boards and their authority have always played a key role in determining the content and the direction of the content reporting. It remains critical in ensuring that there is no external pressure or influence in determining the decision making in the content and reports.

In providing an open, fair and balanced reporting, there has to be a moral obligation and responsibility in providing the audience with the freedom and openness of access to the whole spectrum of arguments and the assessment of the issue at hand.

Only a handful and rare media institutions have the independence and audacity in reporting on the truth and in giving balanced and truthful assessments and views on anything China related, in a climate of overwhelming China pandering and pro China narratives in our local media and public discourse.

Growing concerns and fears can be seen in the other spheres of potential vulnerabilities and risks in the digital realm. China-based companies do not have a presence in Malaysia’s digital television infrastructure, but other firms with close ties to the Chinese Communist Party have been gaining a presence in the social media and mobile phone sectors, from Huawei to TikTok, in creating potential vulnerability to future manipulation.

A true adherence to the spirit of national identity, sovereignty and integrity will mean complete liberalisation from fear and threats from external influence and pressure and full autonomy of rights to dictate Malaysia’s own policies and paths of progress in securing our interests and sovereignty.

That will be what a truly free press and the authority to dictate on reporting will mean. It means Malaysia will have its full autonomy and rights to press on its own interests and to provide the full picture and scope of understanding to the people.

This remains a national duty and pride, to serve national interests and the people first.

The Freedom House report concluded that there were steady Chinese government’s media influence efforts in Malaysia. Perhaps the silver lining is that there is still considerable public wariness and awareness on Chinese propagandistic efforts to sway opinions, as found out in the report.

It aptly called for long-term democratic resilience. Governments, media outlets, civil society, and technology firms all have a role to play in enhancing democratic resilience in the face of increasingly aggressive external influence efforts.

Building up independent discourse, improving transparency on media ownership and disinformation campaigns, and shoring up underlying protections for press freedom are all essential components of an effective response strategy, as rightly stated and recommended by the experts who founded the analysis in the report.

Malaysia’s current contextual need and demand of economic dependence and trade ties require that it keeps its status quo, in ensuring its short-term goals are met, at the potential expense of its long term interests. Continue that long enough or without proper oversight, it will soon fall deeper into the abyss, barring effective strategies and meticulous countermeasures of its own.
Malaysia must urgently uphold its freedom, sovereignty and national pride in determining its own course of actions and its media freedom, free from external pressures,dictate, possible blackmail and influence.