Analysing Islamic Elements in Environmental News Reporting in Malaysia

MOHAMAD SAIFUDIN MOHAMAD SALEH & NIK NORMA NIK HASAN
Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia

Abstract
This study sought to explore an area that is rarely investigated which is the influence of Islam on environmental news reporting in Malaysia. In this case, two methods were employed which include the quantitative content analysis on the Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian newspapers as well as an in-depth interview with a total of 11 journalists from both newspapers. The results from the content analysis performed on the Islamic environmental articles published in Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian newspapers revealed that the number of articles on Islamic environmental issues is low in both newspapers (N=112). The findings from the interviews conducted with the journalists managed to publish several factors that led to the low number of Islamic environmental articles including the lack of environmental knowledge among the Malay Muslim journalists as well as the fact that the environmental issues are commonly associated with politics instead of religion (Islam).

Keywords: Malaysia, Islam, environmental journalism, content analysis, interview

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Mohamad Saifudin Mohamad Saleh (Ph.D, Leuphana University, Germany, 2016) is a lecturer in Department at School of Communication, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Dr. Saleh’s area of specialisation is environmental (sustainability) communication, media, and environmental non-governmental organisations studies.

Nik Norma Nik Hasan (Ph.D, University of Canterbury, New Zealand, 2008) is currently affiliated with School of Communication, Universiti Sains Malaysia as a lecturer. Her areas of academic interest are: science and environmental journalism and environmental risk communication.