Vol. 2 (2012) No.

3 ISSN: 2088-5342

Global Media: Whether It Stimulates Sexuality of Malaysian Society or Not

Dian Mariesta
School of Media and Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, National University of Malaysia 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia E-mail: dian.mariesta@gmail.com

Abstract This paper provides brief description regarding sexually explicit content on Malaysian media. As one of Muslim country, Malaysian has dissimilar perspective in viewing this phenomenon. Media globalization is one of the roots which make sexual content widely circulated all over the world. Many scholars like Aubrey et al., Reichert and Carpenter, Lee and Tamborini, Peter and Valkenberg, and also Liu et al. who is done several researchers from 2003 until 2010, found that sexually explicit content exist in various kinds of media and give significant implications to public. This kind of new imperialism, in a form of lacking decency and morality values, should encompass numerous impacts. The aim of this paper is to explain how sexually explicit content is perceived in Malaysian context and implications to the society. Keywords sexually explicit content; Malaysian media; media globalization.

I. INTRODUCTION Globalization is one of the elements which assist the development of society, either positive or negative. Besides, media globalization is a small element of the phenomenon. Since global influx of films and television programs that is dominated by western, then there will be many arguments about implications of those exposure to local people [1]. Media exposure, mainly exposure to sexual media content, is been researched by scholars such as Aubrey et al. [2], Reichert and Carpenter [3], Lee and Tamborini [4], Peter and Valkenberg [5] [6] [7], and also Liu et al. [8] who always discuss about sexually explicit content on media and implication to public. What those scholars wish for is those kind of exposures will not lessen the essence of media itself. But in reality, some researches which is based on western values, sexually explicit content on media gives big implications to public. Even they do not come across any negative implications but they still uncover how this content can influence peoples life. Based on researchs tendency by western scholars from 2003 until 2010, sexually explicit content exist in various kind of media i.e. television, advertisement, publication, and new media. From those researches, adolescents are main focus of researches because constantly they are exposed by media and get impact more often than any other class of society. Scholars said that sexually explicit content on
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media give significant implication to public, especially adolescents. Besides, difference in culture is not significant in terms of perceived of sexually explicit content on media, even using and consuming media is different according to gender. Those results are happened in western society, which is more open to sexually explicit content on media. But in Asian country, Malaysia for example, that still connected with cultures and religion may view sexually explicit content on media in a different way. The aim of this paper is to explain how sexually explicit content is perceived in Malaysian context and the implications to Malaysian society since Malaysia have a enormous divergence cultures and customs to western countries. II. SEXUAL CONTENT ON MALAYSIAN MEDIA If we look at dissimilar context in Malaysia, sexually explicit content on media will be associated with values and eastern culture which hold norms of decency and morality. Eastern society, which is very different with western society, has an unusual mindset of perceiving sexual content. Everything which is related with sexuality is taboo. In addition, as a Muslim country, Malaysia struggles to bind the whole thing linked with sexually oriented content. A research by Mazlin Mohamad Mokhtar found that 50% of 727 university students were involved in sexual activities. This huge numbers raise questions concerning what are

triggers that generate Malaysians adolescents have high sexual activities [9]. According to Haslinda Abdullah, parents do not act deservedly and not concern on the developing of their children [10]. Children is given borderless freedom, lack of moral and religion education, and influenced by developing of sexually explicit content on media which is not controlled any longer by parents. As strong as Malaysian government resists for preventing sexually explicit content on media, those content still move across. We could notice with the upcoming of sexually explicit content on Malaysian traditional media such as television and films. It because rising of information that move toward to Malaysian citizens. From a research by Haslinda Abdullah, which is run by Kaiser Family Foundation, found that 3,800 of sexual content are in more than 1,100 television programs. It means each hour the public will be exposed by five sexual contents on media [10]. Even this research is held in western country, but expectations of the implications will relatively identical since Malaysia also import several television programs from them. Developing of online television cause people still have access to those programs anytime as well as anywhere with lacking of censorship from government. Sexually explicit content on media is growing up in broadcasting media, particularly in films, including local or international films. Malaysian government makes an effort to strain it using Film Censorship Act 2002 and establish Film Censorship Board of Malaysia, a Malaysian government ministry that vets films, to supervise contents of films [11]. Government specifies rating for every film, which are: U (Umum/General) General viewing for all ages. PG-13 Parental guidance is suggested for viewers under 13. 18SG (Seram & Ganas/Violence & Horror) Parental guidance is suggested for viewers under 18 and contain violence or horror scene. 18SX (Seks/Sex) Parental guidance is suggested for viewers under 18 and contain sexual dialog and scene. 18PA (Politik & Agama/Politic & Religion) Parental guidance is suggested for viewers under 18 and contain religion, social, and politic scene. 18PL (Pelbagai/Various) - Parental guidance is suggested for viewers under 18 and contain several scene i.e. violence, sexual, religion, social, or politic scene. Several films which are censored and banned by Malaysian government in 2011 are
TABLE I BANNED AND CENSORED FILM IN MALAYSIA

4. 5. 6. 7.

Heavily censored due to the strong, bloody, and violent. content of the movie. Partially censored due to the sexual and nudity content in the movie. Partially censored due to brutal violence. Partially censored due to profanity, sexual and brutal violence content in the movie. Partially censored due to profanity, brutal violence, and some nudity and sexual content.

Scream 4 The Hangover 2 Final Destination 5 Fright Night

2011 2011 2011 2011

8.

Killer Elite

2011

Most of those films are censored because the over expose of some nudity and sexual content, which we constantly see in Hollywood films. It makes government take strong action so that it will not broadcast easily in local cinema. By cutting some scenes, government believes it is the best method to restrict sexually explicit content. Until September 2011, the total of 22 films is censored by Malaysian government due to several sexual and violence content [12]. Several free-market supporters argue that what the government did with those films is not acceptable, since Malaysia is practicing free-market ideology. Malaysian government think by encouraging local film industry as well, it will reduce the coming of westernization from films. But again, those free-market supporters still believe that is one way of abusing power from government [1]. But if we dig deeper to this problem, government set several regulations just to keep identity of Malaysian and of course there will be several oppositions do not have the same opinion with those decisions. Nevertheless, a research in 2005 found that 49% of Malaysians couple use pornographic movie to increase their sexual satisfaction [13]. It means number of circulation of pornographic movies in Malaysia is quite far above the ground. It makes adolescents come across it easily since piracy movies are ubiquitously. If we judge against various film 1980s, it still catch the attention of people to come up to and watch even those films do not contain any sexual content. But if we observe at the moment, a film which lacking any sexual content makes people slothful and not attracted to watch. So, producers and media practitioners are required to slot in those scenes to pull towards people attention. Not only in films, Malaysian government also banned several publications with sexually explicit content. They publish list of local publications such as [14]
TABLE III BANNED AND CENSORED PUBLICATION IN MALAYSIA

No 1. 2. 3.

Category of censorship The movie is rated 18 due to the strict censorship. Heavily censored for 7 minutes due to sexual content and nudity. Partially censored due to the sexual and nudity content.

Title of film Burlesque No Strings Attached Black Swan

Year 2011 2011 2011

No 1.

Title of publication Pengantin Remaja

Author Puteri Izma

Publisher Progressive Publishing House Sdn. Bhd.

Year 2009

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3.

4. 5.

Khazanah Mutiara Hikmah Suami Isteri & Bakal Pengantin Menyingkap Rahsia Keistimewaan Wanita Rahsia Dalam Rahsia di Sebalik Tirai Kamar Suami Isteri

Ustaz Hj Ibrahim Muhamma d Ain Aina Othman Haji Jaafar

DARUL NU'MAN ZANzan Production Darul Nu'man

2009

2009 2009

But in internet, Malaysian government could not form numerous adjustments due to policy. This policy allows various contents from outside Malaysia without censorship at all to be a magnet for global investor to draw closer and invest in Malaysia. It influences the flow of sexually explicit content on internet began to shake people. Over exposure to sexually explicit content on media will make people, especially parents, anxious about expansion sexual activity of their kids. When a shocking outcome found by Norton from Symantec in 2009 which stated that from top 100 websites which kids access, pornographic website is in fourth and fifth. With 14.6 million kids and adolescents from all over the world, including Malaysia, this end result becomes concern that requires to be discussed on [15]. Even government publishes some policies related with sexually explicit content on media by establishing Communication and Multimedia Act 1998 that stated Forbid dissemination of sexual content through Section 211 & 233 and industry coordination under Content Code, they still do not have power over the generally implications of sexually explicit content on media in Malaysia [16]. However, Malaysian government already prescribes numerous efforts to obstruct sexually explicit content on media. They still wish for shielding people from negative implications which could affect peoples moral values and identity. III. IMPLICATIONS OF SEXUALLY CONTENT ON MEDIA IN MALAYSIA Sexually explicit content on media has massive implication to society, especially kids and adolescents. Explosion of globalization provides impact on over exposure content of media, should be sensed by government as well as people with the intention that they are familiar with numerous implications of it. Inappropriate sexual content could come up several implications such as a significant moral degradation. This phenomenon happens because various injection of western values that is broadcasted in form of television programs, film, or even publications. Like a domino, moral degradation could impact continuous decline. At the end, a country will be destroyed if moral of the people is in a dreadful place as well. Moral degradation not only gives impact on people. It influences other elements as well. Increasing numbers of free sex, abortion, and HIV/AIDS are the implications. Evidently, mounting of those numbers is quite significant since the media globalization takes place. If we weigh
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against the phenomenon on 30 until 40 years back, level of free sex and abortion is not as high as these days. Not only increasing of moral degradation, but also more commonly a society is exposed with sexual content formulates arising number of criminals as well, mainly cases like rape. Most of them involve in this circumstances since pornographic movies widely circulated. These contents also a type of colonialism by western in making developing country like Malaysia, could not develop as superlative as they could. This form of colonialism influences perception of eastern people regarding sexuality. By now, more eastern people disregard their norms of decency as well as morality like they used to hold. We could notice lots of television programs, films, or publications already are influenced by sexual content, even though it is not an explicit one. Changing of producers perception about sexual content is influenced by that perception as well. They believe if they do not slot in several sexual scenes or dialogs, people will not get nearer and watch their programs or films. It is verification that western colonialism through media is occurring now. They are making an effort to implant their values to ours, which is not fit with our identity. Besides, media in Malaysia is increasingly westernized. It manipulates not only needs of sexual content from only producers or people, but both of them desire and require sexual content to gratify their needs. People like those programs, films, or publications that make producers also willing to produce it. There will be no supply if there is no demand. Means media globalization, especially sexually explicit content, gives gigantic impact to people. An eastern community, who uphold norms of decency and morality, become depraved because of western values that cultivate in our mind. Moral values and cultural identity becomes pillars which hold the country to stand tall [17]. If we uphold those norms of decency as an eastern people, it will make a country become stronger. We could not too be influenced with westernization that makes us losing our own values and identity. IV. CONCLUSIONS At this moment, we witness how much manipulation that media give us, especially in moral side. Suitable with Cultivation Theory by Gerbner, if media cultivate positives values to us, maybe it could make us become a better person. But if media cultivate some negatives values, maybe it could also make us perform negatively. In Malaysia, government already tries to forbid sexually explicit content. They establish several policies which necessitate to be applied. But this kind of effort will not run smoothly if people and media practitioners do not functioning collectively to forbid those contents. What we observe in society now is people have a propensity in liking programs or movies or even books with sexual content. In addition, media practitioners as well broadcast and publish it. So that, governments hard works will be tricky to implement in forming a society which still carry their norms of decency and morality as their identity.

To solve this issue, cooperation among government, media practitioners, and people considered necessary. As well to limit or even say no to sexual content on media, either implicit or explicit. Those programs, films, or publications will only offer dreadful implications to people. So why media still pop in those contents? Is it just about capitals that they talking about? That clich argument is not acceptable in this situation. People still could get entertainment with no several sexual contents on television program, films, or books. We, as an information society, necessitate being wellinformed. We must be an active user, not a passive one. People require to be selected in using media pursuant to their satisfaction. A self-censorship person is also needed to fortify ourselves as a user and people around us to choose smartly which one is good or bad for ourselves. REFERENCES
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