FREEDOM OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Internet is something that familiar in modern society nowadays. The development of technology has made internet technology used to interact with each other but the Internet is also used as a tool to find information through 'browsing' and 'googling'. Thus, the Internet has spawned a network known as social media. Social media is a type of media used online by allowing users or the public to participate and share knowledge widely. Social media is also a channel that helps people to understand the process of communication, whether the communication between individuals and involving communication between human and technology.

Based on the drawing caricatures of the above, it is explained about the power of social media in the political system. The picture seems to indicate that social media dominate human life. A man who was holding a piece of wood as if he wanted to hit someone but was stopped by a group of people. "Stop or i will tweet" is a word that seems to reflect the threats to individuals who hold the stick. In fact, the facial expressions of those men also seem terrified. This shows that the power of social media can influence an individual's or country. Attacks on social media are likely more powerful than the physical attack. For example, the description of the painting shown that if an individual or a nation committed a crime, then the power of social media to make them budge.

We are aware that blogs and social networks like Facebook, Twitter and so on is a form of social media that is most commonly used by people all over the world, especially young people. If the traditional media is using print and broadcast media, the social media is now using the Internet. In fact, according to the facts, the percentage impact of social media in Malaysia in the Asian countries is about 72% whereas the percentage was preceded by Asian countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines 79.7% to 78%. Thus, social media has attracted the attention of people especially government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in using the Internet as the main medium in understanding communities in Malaysia.

Social media is the main media used by most of the developing countries to bridge the gap between government and society. In fact, social media serves as expanding the influence of the government to the people in the social system. This can be seen in Malaysia, where the government is trying to use social media as a step to close the gap between society and the government. Thus, the various roles of social media used to influence people's minds at the moment, especially on current issues in the political system in Malaysia. Non-governmental organizations (NG0) also plays an important role in influencing public opinion in the political developments around the world.

But when there is growth and progress of social media in Malaysia, among Malaysians should realize that security of the country is more open to all kinds of threats also it will be open to the whole world to criticize the political issues in Malaysia. It can be associated to the painting above where it explains that, when one commits a crime or wrong, then a group of people will pass it through social media. Furthermore, social media is often used by everyone so it causes no limitations of using social media so that there are several groups trying to use social media as a medium for committing crimes by spreading unverified information. In fact, social media also provides a public space for citizens to express freely their political participation and without any pressure.

Otherwise, this social media are rarely used by the developed countries. This is because they think that their country's political maturity and they are more focused towards the development or economic progress. For developed countries, they rarely use social media because of the safety of their own country. Such as, China and USA. For example, the USA is the developed countries that have a number of social media users in the world. Although in principle, there is freedom in social media activities in the country, but when examined in depth on this matter, we will find that social media regulatory action by the government is an act governing the use of social media applications among government officials. This is to prevent government officials from manipulating or disclose to the public any confidential information for the purpose of the government's self-interest or the interest of certain parties and any related actions that could affect national security and national interests.

In conclusion, the issue of freedom of social media is generally in line with democratic principles, but if events and use social media without any control can have a negative impact in the long term for the country and society, especially in Malaysia. Therefore, the government plays an important role in the control of social media among the public so that there is no conflict between the government and the public when there are individuals or groups try to manipulate the political issues in Malaysia. 

Islamophobia

Today, I want share about what is Islamophobia?

I will insert some political theory that I have learned and some references that I have.

Enjoy reading!

Based on the sketch, explain the situation Islamophobia. Cartoon shows that Islam is controlled by a person or authority of the country where it shows as USA. This is because the use of these men shows a flag or symbol USA. Then, USA’s leader holding a dog leash and away from a Muslim family. He says that they have the right to freedom of expression. But, the big dog show, a rash, then it is considered as violence. Pictures of dogs can also mean in many aspects, whether of violence, cruelty, and so on. This case clearly shows that these families do not have the right to freedom of speech and its clearly shows Islamophobia. So, the cartoon image has clearly stated that when a family of Muslim express their opinions, then the man holding the dog, described as the leader of the United States will release the grip leash to give a negative reward for them.

The term Islamophobia was first introduced as a concept in a 1991 Runnymede Trust Report and defined as "unfounded hostility towards Muslims, and therefore fear or dislike of all or most Muslims (University of California, Berkeley, 2010). Generally, Islamophobia is the fear or phobia of Islam in terms of adherents, religion, doctrine and culture. Islamophobia very active and often occur in countries not non-Muslim majority. It's known as the dominant Islamophobia. This will cause the minority Muslim community will be more likely to be treated in a discriminatory and unfair. Normally, it is done by secular understandings of nation or ideology that separates religion claims to the state administration. Anti-Islamic sentiment is across the European countries. Among the countries that have to do with the dominant Islamophobia is France, USA, Singapore, Turkey, Germany and so on.

In 2003, President Jacques Chirac has banned the wearing of head scarves and religious symbols by school children in France. This shows that the world is increasingly turned religious freedom set out in the Human Rights worldwide. They have assumed that the wearing of the Burqa is a threat and a portrait of the characteristics of terrorist to the Republic. The ban is intended to show that they had taken a great power that can isolate the Muslim minority in France. In addition to the case in France, there are more cases related to Islamophobia as a Tragedy on Sept. 11, 2001, murder Marwa El-Sherbini and so on. So, we know that France really clearly shows that they hate Islam, but who is behind the French supporters ?. This indicates that the USA itself supports. we can see based on the drawing. It clearly illustrates the USA declared that freedom of speech but when people voice their opinions or expressions of Islam, then there will be a negative reward.

Furthermore, the report entitled "Islamophobia: A Challenge of Us" by Runnymede from London, was also explained that Islam has been seriously misunderstood by many parties, especially the non-Muslim community. So, the notion that secular states prejudice against Islam is precisely because of the emergence of the law has banned the wearing of Islamic lifestyle practices do. Thus, it would alienate Muslims and other residents in the country. This would be considered a step backward just widen the gap between minority and majority in the countries involved, such as France, Germany and so on.

So, this can be attributed to the Classical Theory of Realism. This theory states that human nature is indeed to force individual countries and in the best interests above ideological understanding. Classical realism is the ideology that considers that the search for power and intent to dominate is a fundamental aspect of human nature. So, it shows that human nature  is selfish. According to the picture cartoon, the man that show President United States is also have a characteristics on realism. That is because, he described the man as a selfish without thinking about the needs of others or the opinions of others. Moreover, if cooperation between the individual then it has the properties needed anything. It does show pure collaboration can’t be proven. It is associated with a situation in which the above picture shows a situation where the USA supports to prejudice against Muslims.

According to the late Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, a former Hamas leader based in Gaza, he said that the actions of the USA and trespassing and exploited ongoing wars is because he opposed and hostile to Muslims around the world. For example, oriented films Islamophobia "innocence if Muslim" and the film "fitna" also causes people not insulted Islam in terms of Islamic religious teachings, culture, and so on. Instead, why not form the term phobia of other religions who are active as Zionist Israel, Khalistoni Movement in India, Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka and so on?. However, it's not particular to the countries of Europe and around the world and this group is not associated with their religion as Kristianophobia, Hinduphobia, or Judaimiphobia.

Through the theory of structuralism, it states that the international structure has made humans have forced people to think and act in an unselfish. This structure shows that they have principles and ideologies conflicting each other. If no consensus was reached, then a struggle with each other. Caricature description also shows that Islam has their own ideology as well as head of the United States. When they different sayings, they will not communicate with properly because of neutral nature and so its difficult for individuals to interact.

So, 

Where the law of human rights in addressing cases of Islamophobia?

Pat the chest & ask your heart.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bunzl, M. (2005). Between anti-Semitism and Islamophobia : Some thoughts on the New Europe. American Ethonologist , 499-508.

Jamil, D. U. (2014). Muslims in The War on Terror Discourse. Islamophobia Studies Journal , 29-42.

Latuff. Freedom of Speech and Islamophobia. LatuffCartoon.

University of California, Berkeley. (2010). center for Race and Gender. Retrieved from http://crg.berkeley.edu/content/islamophobia/defining-islamophobia

W.Kegley, C. (1995). Theories of World Politics. New York: St. Martin's Press.