The ‘Out-Group’ and Moral Panic: How the Malay Newspapers and the Construction of Social Narratives?

Abstract

Given the increasing presence of foreign workers in the Malaysian workforce and society, many Malaysians have voiced doubts and fear over the perceived encroachment of foreign workers into society, especially with the media reporting cases of crimes and news about them in a particularly negative stance. This research studied the five major Malay newspapers in the coverage of foreigners and identified the repeated five themes that were used to frame foreign workers, include: 1. Anti-social behaviour, 2. Sexually connotative language, 3. Labels/ slurs 4. Derogatory language and 5. Perceived threat to local resources and business opportunities. Analysis of news headlines published by Malay newspapers from January 2023 until March 2026 was conducted and analysed using discourse analytical approach. Negative themes were found to have framed the portrayal of foreign workers, enhancing out-group representations. One particular concern is the disproportionate and repetitive reportage and labels of anti-social behaviour in a manner that encourages hostility and cultivates a climate of fear by overreporting bad behaviour by a small number of people. Foreign workers are often framed as anti-social deviants, depicted as dangerous, menacing, uncivilised, and prone to engaging in criminal behaviours such as violence, fighting, rule-breaking, and posing a threat to society. Negative portrayals of foreign workers have become so commonplace in Malaysian media that stories about them are predominantly crime-related and focused on unfavourable incidents.