Discourse on Concern: Language Choice of Malaysian Prime Minister’s Independence Speech by Online News Portal

Abstract

This study explores the notion of concern by online news portals in Malaysia through selected language choice from a discourse perspective. The two digital based news portal reports are on speech given by the present Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim a day before the 68th Independence Day celebration are the selected data for analysis. The language choice of these two digital news mediate various stages of concern via his speech. Analysis using lexicogrammatical approach reveals how these online Malaysian news portals choose to put emphasis on Anwar Ibrahim’s use of language. Findings show the discourse through patterns of language specifically selected by the two portals reflect concern for unity across a nation made up of multi-ethnic communities apart from his inclusion as a Malay political leader with socialcultural sentiments. Interestingly, though both news emerge with similar results, however, differences in the omission of lexico-grammatical choices between these two portals in a country of diverse language, race and religion allow for further concern.