The media has gone back to the future

Murray Hunter


The media has gone back to the future

News portals are just advertorial and propaganda tools

Murray Hunter
May 08, 2025




Fahmi Fadzil Malaysia’s editor-in-chief



The RSF press freedom rankings have come and gone. Malaysia is now in 88th position. However, if one looks closely at the state of the local media, it now resembles the 1990s where most of it reflects the views of the government. Some are saying Fahmi Fadzil is editor in chief these days. Bernama articles are being run like re-runs of sitcoms on TV stations.

Some of the top online news portal just carry the latest propaganda that sections of the government want out, particularly political news. Running Bernama stories is very common now.

The dissappearance of Pamela Lim was totally absent from the pages of the mainstream media. Who was the media protecting? Its become a crime to report the truth these days.

One could even say that some portals are even actively participating in the counter-coup now going on within PKR to displace current deputy president Rafizi Ramli and bring it all home to the family.

The media have become active propaganda participants once again.

In addition, the media has returned to the fearless role of writing and publishing ‘puff pieces’ about politicians. In between the ‘puff pieces’ are some ‘hit pieces’ against those deemed ‘enemies of the state’.

Advertorials and ‘puff’ pieces are common now as a source of revenue.

These are not new-revelations, the public is quickly abandoning online news portals in favour of other channels. Its more informing to go to WhatsApp and scroll down and see what interesting news has been assembled by members in these groups.

On Telegram and X there are channels run here because the MCMC ‘thought police’ can’t touch them. Edisi Siasat and FreeMalaysian are the go to sites to read about corruption.

In two more years, there are going to be fewer news portals where the fearless ones like Malaysiakini and Malaysia Now may survive.

The next GE, due in two years will be fought on WhatsApp, Telegram, and X. The MCMC has pushed political comment and debate ‘underground’.