Lahad Datu: what triggered it and for what purpose?

Author: Iloka Benneth Chiemelie

Published: 22nd of May 2014

1.0 Introduction

Since the new age of advancement in information and technology, humanity has been given more chances to know more, distribute more and access more information as well as raw data irrespective of where they might be. This is because information and communication technology allows for information to be made available on a given medium and people across the world can access such information once they have the right source.

The media is the key player in making information available because they are always seeking for new sources of information by accessing some of the most remote and inaccessible areas in the world and making information from these areas easily available. The function of the media has been changing with more access to information and the change now include their capability to influence decision by making available the choice of the public to the government and also making the decision process in the government house available to the public.

On that account, this paper is designed to understand how the media influences decision process in the society by presenting a review of the Lahad Datu standoff as the background for understanding the functions of the media and highlighting the differences between mainstream media and digital media.

2.0 Critical discussion of media functions

The Western Washington University’s department of journalism (2013) made known in their discussion that the media play significant role in the society with the function of making news and events available through broadcast for audience to review and sometimes send in their own opinions. On that account, this section of the paper will look to discuss these features more in relation to the Lahad Datu standoff in Sabah.

2.1 Surveillance – surveillance as discussed by WWUDJ (2013) deals with the idea that the media plays the function of working around the happening events and gathering necessary information, and then feeding the audience with such information. Surveillance deals with updating the audience about every new move that comes up in the event. In the case of the Lahad Datu, the media were purely at alert with every new change and updates were well documents for the audience to refer to. The media was surveying every new moves made by the government and the sulu fighter, which meant that information dissemination was always at high.

2.2 Interpretation – interpretation of information deals with making the gathered information easy to understand (WWUDJ 2013). In terms of the standoff, the media has been interpreting it to be the fault of the sulu sultanate. This is because they believe that even if the sulu think that sabah is part of their protectorate, they have no right to invade the region with deadly forces but should have instead contacted the Philippines government who will then go into negotiation with the Malaysian government on how such disputes and claims can be settled amicably.

2.3 Linkage – linkage related to establishing relationship between the problem and external factors such as the causes and the reason for such (WWUDJ 2013). In terms of the case, the linkage is established the media between the problem and causes as well as the reason for such and what the Malaysian government did. In terms of the problem, it is that the sulu fighters have invaded the Lahad Datu region of sabah and their reason is because they think that this region belongs to them. In any case, the Malaysian government views such as a breach of their

2.4 Influence and persuasion - the influence portrays the outcome that follows the event (WWUDJ 2013). In the case of the event, the media presented the influence to be that the Malaysian government decided to engage in a dialogue with the killer quad from the Philippines, but they were not willing to accept any dialogue. As such, the Malaysian government proceeded to adopt an all-round military action against them. This led to the killing of many of the fighters and a standout between both government on what was done and what should have been done in relation to the case.  The media also played significant role in influencing the government’s decision by highlighting the risk posed by the group to people living in this region.

2.5 Socialisation and value distribution – the events was a hot topic in the media as it can easily be seen in social networks such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and yahoo news, with the responders given the opportunity of presenting their own view in relation to the situation at hand.

3.0 Analysis of audience responses & feedback in media

Still on the discussions presented by the WWUDJ (2013), it was noted that the form of response and feedback given by the audience can vary with variations in their view about the situation as it relates to what they know about the situation. These views can be in the form of deliberation or argumentation. From the analysis presented in most of the media, the response is as follows:

3.1 Deliberation - the audience are interested in understanding why the sulu fighters decided to embark in such operations (Youtube 2013); they areas deliberating that there is a need to understand where they go their weapon as they are highly sophisticated; (Youtube 2013); and what whether the actions of the Malaysian government are justifiable in the sense that they should have taken more time to engage in negotiation before embarking into the military actions.

3.2 Argumentation – from the same case, a number of arguments are raging between Malaysians, Filipinos and other people from around the world. Mostly, the Malaysians are of the view that the actions of the sulu fighters are unjustifiable and as such should be dealt seriously with. As such, they are in support of the Malaysian government with the actions taken in relation to the situation at hand. The Filipinos on the other hand are mixed in the sense that some view the action as being too strict while others sees it as the right thing to do. This is the same with the view from around the world as some think the government needs to input more stringent actions, while other think that they should have given more time to negotiations.

4.0 Analysis of news written by media practitioners in mainstream newspapers and digital media

From YouTube (2013) a number of have been presented in relation to the Lahad Datu standoff and the media practitioners analyses it by stating that what the sulu fighters have done is not right and the Malaysian government is right by taking the military actions. This is because in as much as the Malaysian government might desire to establish good relationship the government of Philippines, there is always a need to protect its citizens.

4.1 Critical discussion of new written by mainstream media and digital media

Prior to this discussion, there is a need to understand the differences between mainstream media and digital media in terms of how they function. Basically, a media is the medium through which journalist and other people pass information to the intended audiences. Mainstream on that note is the form of media operated by a major news network in a given country, while digital media is a media platform that is based purely on visual presentation of the new and allow for comments and feedbacks from readers. For this paper, the chosen mainstream media is The Star Online while the chosen digital media is YouTube.

4.2 The Star Online (2013)

The media platform was very critical in its documentation of the case, beginning with the statement that the Malaysians security forces has detained 32 people armed with different form of firearms and machetes as they tried to enter sabah illegally from the southern part of the Philippines. This arrest follows the claims made by the sulu group that their members who escaped the Malaysian ordeal has regrouped to become more strong.

The news continued to present a review of what caused the case from onset by stating that this is part of the fighting with has besieged the Lahad Datu region since the claim by the sulu sultanate that the region belongs to them. In the wake of the invent, the government decided to engage in dialogue with the fighters in order to understand why they are in such act and find the right solution that will be beneficial to everybody. However, the group were not willing to negotiate and it forced the Malaysian government to adopt any strategy towards protecting the lives and properties within its geographical region.

As such, the news is well presented and professional by laying the background of understand on the current events with links to causes and past event without presenting it to be on a personal view but more on a review and critical approach with a broad view.

4.3 YouTube (2013)

Similar to the mainstream media, this media was readily presenting information about the even to the public. The digital media is much more social than the mainstream media because all the new comes in the form of video and users are also allowed to present their own comment about the happening events in real-time as well as post related videos. As such, information access and availability is broader than the mainstream media.

4.4 Criticism of both media

The mainstream media is written by professionals who are well strained and possess the necessary skills to communicate the actual happening to the audience in a language that is easily understandable and interpretable. This is different from what is obtainable in the media as the news can sometimes be posted by armature who doesn’t know anything about journalism and the information can be misleading as well as personal instead of basing their argument on a central ground of understanding as is obtainable in the mainstream media.

However, the digital media is more informational because it allows for different people to posted related videos; and comments, feedbacks, opinions as well as their own personal view about the situation at hand – which is important for reviewing the case form different points of view and as such enhancing the understanding about a given situation.

Unlike the mainstream media, information in digital media are not properly regulated and it can lead to complication such as social inferiority, racism and other abuses languages or acts against some of the audience. In any case, both of these forms of media are very reliable with communicating the happening events to the respective audience and ensuring that information are made easily accessible.

5.0 Summary and conclusion

This paper as stated earlier in the introductory section was designed to understand as well as illustrate the functions of medial in the modern environment. As also noted in that section of the paper, it was stated that the functions of media has expanded from just making information readily available to intended audience to adopting such information in influencing decision making in different segments of the government and economy. This is was obtainable in the case of the Lahad Datu discussed above. Lahad Datu is a region in Malaysia and located in Sabah the eastern part of the country. The event as it unfolded is that the Sulu sultanate stated that this region belongs to them and was wrongly taken away from them by Malaysia, which meant that Sulu fighters were deployed in the region to reacquire the land back. The outcome is that the Malaysian government recognized the threat but proceeded with peaceful dialogue to settle whatever issue that might be arising in the region. In any case, the fighters were not willing to accept any dialogue with the government and continued their fighting, which meant that the Malaysian government was forced to do whatever is within their capability to save lives and properties in this region. The decision was final, the Malaysian government deployed military forces in this region in order to bring down the Sulu fighters once and for all and they were very much satisfied with the result as it meant the death of 30 members and the reduction in violence. Another strategy was also to strengthen the borders, which the Malaysian government did and it allowed them to capture more members with ammunitions even before they entered the country.

In the paper, two media were analysed in the form of the Star Online and YouTube. From the analysis, it was found that the Star Online adopted more of professional approach to reporting the event by presenting information in a general sense through the service of their professional reporters that translated the information in an easy to understand language. On the other hand, the approach adopted by YouTube is more armatures in nature as the videos and reports where mad by some reports that have no clue of what the information being presented is all about and it influence the communication of the information negatively. On that same note, comments and feedbacks where allowed between members in the digital media and this mean that social vices rose higher because the events is more of a conflict between two different countries. On that note, it can be seen that the media played a significant role in the event by making information readily available for the audience.

In conclusion, it will be stated that the importance of the media is steadily increasing as can be seen from the Lahad Datu standoff discussed in this paper. This is based on the understanding that the media was there to play the surveillance and influential roles that led to the government’s intervention and fight to secure this region of the country from the hands of the Sulu fighter, as well as update the audience with the happenings and change taking place in this region.

References

The Star Online (2013), “Lahad Datu: 32 armed men from south Philippines detained off Sabah.” Available at: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2013/04/08/Lahad-Datu-32-armed-men-from-south-Philippines-detained-off-Sabah.aspx [Accessed on: 17/07/2013].

Western Washington University Department of Journalism (WWUDJ) (2013), “Eight functions of mass media.” Available at: http://hope.journ.wwu.edu/tpilgrim/j190/190.8functionslist.html [Accessed on: 17/07/2013].

YouTube (2013), “English News Intruders in Lahad Datu 30 Dead!!!” Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQEu-fI_EmE [Accessed on: 17/07/2013].