Written by Atiqah Ramli
INTRODUCTION
Water source is the important element to human life. Clean water supply also will improve the quality of live such as avoid us from any diseases. Today, water supply will be considered as a part element that helps to generate the economy in each country. Water resource also has the high of commercial values in each country. Each country should take some action to control the use of water resource for long-term planning. Singapore is one of the countries that will consider as a water-stressed country as having lack of water resources. Singapore is highly depending on Johor in order to obtain additional water supplies to distribute to their citizen (Ruhana , 2007). Singapore’s water resources are very limited in where almost 50% of the Island Singapore used as a catchment area for this country. Share meets the needs of clean water sources in Singapore, the country gets water resources of the catchment area of Johor estimated 98,000 acres or 70% of the land area of Singapore.
Basically, Singapore and Johor problem is referring to an agreement between the governments of Malaysia and Singapore. Water supply to Singapore has always been a political burden to Malaysia because it is regarded as advantageous in many ways, particularly Singapore extreme-cost, extremely low. This is mainly because Singapore only pays 3 cents per thousand gallons, while Melaka buy water from Johor at the rate of 30 cents per thousand gallons (Asyraf, 2013). However, in 2011 the first agreement with Singapore will expire, and Singapore does not intend to renew it. Singapore authorities rejected the renegotiation of the agreement as consider it a challenge Singapore’s sovereignty as an independent state. The Malaysian government also considers it does not challenge the sovereignty of Singapore, as it is contained in the terms of the original agreement.
IDENTITY OF THE MEDIA
Malaysiakini News Portal
Malaysiakini was published in 1999. Malaysiakini is one of the independent media that always been used by the public in order to get some latest information that happened around them. The advancement of technology have given some impact on the way people find and received the information. This independent media news portal was believed that their media agency will able to inform the citizen with current affairs, helping them to holds the government of the day accountable through the citizen, participation and voting decision. Since Malaysiakini was established from 1999 until now. Today, this independent news portal was grown up into Mkini group which includes business news portals Kinibiz.com, online video site which is KiniTV.com, electoral information, Undi.info, exclusive digital marketing advertising agency FG media, Kinibooks which is independent book that have launched this year and
Malaysiakini always takes such a great pride in its independence. This organisation strives their independently without depending by government or corporate influence by asking the readers to pay their subscription fee and a place that give some availability to other company to promo their product through online advertising. Both contribution from their readers and other organisation will helps this media organisation to stay established and grows up as media news portals among readers in Malaysia and worlds.
The Straits Times Singapore News Portal
This online news portal have supported the reader with the comprehensive coverage the worlds news such as East Asian News, Southeast Asian news, home news, sport news, financial news and news that related to the lifestyle. The updated information about the current issues that happen throughout the world make The Straits Times Singapore have the visitor that visit this portal.The style of reporting of the news such as the quality of the news, in-depth analyses and supported with breaking news will give the overview of the issues or event that happen in Singapore and also in worlds. The Strait Time Singapore also their own strength that have been consider as the world class coverage especially the current issues that happen in and out of the country.
COMPARISSON CRITERIA
Headline
Headline is the first elements that play such a huge role in attach the audience and also attract the audience to read the news article. Basically, most of people who are want to know the issues that happen around them by read the headline only and the percentage of the reader that read the whole article are less. Due to this problem the journalist need to find the effective way in order to attach their audience with journalist headline. The most effective headline news article is simple and short but the headline can give overview and references to the reader (Kevin , 2015).Based on this news article, the headline that have been written by the journalist is more catchy because the words that have been used is try to highlighted and try to portray on the truth situation that happen between Singapore and Johor. As example “Singapore supplies more water to Johor amid dry spell” (Malaysiakini, 2016). The writer has using that kind of words in order to attract reader to reads this article. The words actually simple but it gains the huge impact.
Chronology
Chronology also the importance element that journalist need to highlighted in portraying the incident that happen. Through chronology, the readers will get the overview on the timeline of the cases that happen although they do not exist in the place where it happened. There are several aspect that journalist need to follow such as factual, objective, clear and complete with timeline. Basically through observing through both article between Malaysiakini and The Strait Time Singapore, both news portal have explain clearly regarding the issues that happen from the past few years until now. All the history of agreement also been stated in this news portal in order to make the reader understand the core of this issues.
Interview
The interview quotation in news article also the important the element that will grab the attention of the readers to read the news article. Basically, the interviewee in news article that suitable for journalist to interview is people who are become the victims in this issue and the responsible people to this matter. The expertise towards this issue also suitable because readers will interested towards the opinion from them based on the issues that happen. Malaysiakini news portal also being balance and also have gain some opinion from the opposition parties regarding this problem. Through this interview or quotes that have been made by journalist, readers also will compare and value the statement that has been given by the both parties. Compare to The Strait Times of Singapore, the journalist also gain some interview from responsible people towards this issues.
Message
In news reporting, journalist has their freedom to express their opinion about any issues in writing the news article. But the message that have disseminate should have their limit and avoid from dropping any party. Message also the information that has been written by the journalist to make the reader aware with the situation. Malysiakini news portal have explain that to the reader in their news article that, if this situation cannot control properly it will give the huge tendency to give the impact towards the relationship between Singapore and Malaysia. In Malaysiakini article with the title “Johor need expertise to run and manage water resources. In this article, the journalist try to give some opinion on the issues the happen between this both of country and also try to state some solution towards this matter for the both country.
Propaganda
In reporting the news article, the journalist also has their own agenda and propaganda that need to arcived by using their readers. Propaganda which is the information that has been written but there are hidden agenda that the readers does not know. Sometime propaganda will become positive and negative. Basically, the words of propaganda always refer to the political journalist or nationalist setting. The words of propaganda have been use start from World War II in order to promote the ideas (Shamsiah & Ahmad Sufian , 2014).Propaganda also the medium that have been used by the journalist to exposed the factual of the cases and opinion of the journalist that will influence the readers to motivated them in order to make any action or change the behavior (Renee & Sandra , 2015). In other words, propaganda sometime depends on the motives of the journalist write up or raise up that issues (Cunningham, 2002). The propaganda that have shown by both news portal is to highlight on the people that involved in this issues and try to maintain and take care the reputation of the both countries. Both news portals have play the huge role to represent their country and become the mediator towards the issues that happen in their country to the readers.
EVALUATION
Based on the observation and comparison from this two news portal, Malaysiakini are being balance in reporting this issues and the issues that have been highlighted basically on the action that have been taken in order to settled this matter and o voice out the problem of water supply on behalf of Johor citizen compare to The Straits Time Singapore that unbalance in reporting because all the statement that come out from this issues is all about to defend the Singapore and the same time to blame Malaysia. This is to show the propaganda that will used by the newspaper in order to give the bad reputation to Malaysia.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, through observation and analyses for both newspapers from both side is the leaders of the two countries, Malaysia and Singapore are using the water issue is to raise the spirit of patriotism and strengthen the public support to the respective governments. Self-interest controversy exists regarding this, which does not provide any benefit to the people of many if not resolved. Unfortunately, this controversy is compounded further by other problems, such as the demands of the White Hill, the railway land in Tanjung Pagar, the reclamation of the Tebrau Straits and savings of Malaysian workers in Singapore. As a Malaysian citizen, we hope that this situation will be control properly from this situation became for the both countries and also for the sake of good relations between Singapore and Malaysia as well as peace in the ASEAN region, we urge the leaders of both countries submerge sentiment and act rationally. We sincerely urge the leaders of Malaysia and Singapore put aside their egos and immediately tries to find a solution through negotiations.