The Role of Media in Realizing ‘1Malaysia’ Concept

The Diffusion of Innovations Theory introduced by Everett Rogers over a half century ago explained the process of idea diffusion when disseminated to the public. Rogers stressed that an innovation dispersed through two major forms of communication channels; mass media and interpersonal communication and each of these form has different effects in delivering the dispersion of an innovation to the public. This paper aims to discuss the transmission efficacy of media for the new concept of ‘1Malaysia’, an idea mooted by the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia; Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak two years after the concept was launched. The data in this study was obtained from a survey which was conducted involving 500 respondents randomly selected from those residing in the urban and sub-urban areas in the Klang Valley. Descriptive statistics was employed to determine the communication channel sources ways in which the message of 1Malaysia concept was delivered and to identify the efficiency of the media in dispersing the information of the 1Malaysia concept. The findings show that the media plays an important role in dispersing the information of the 1Malaysia concept. The media is responsible in educating people on the importance of goals and objectives of the 1Malaysia concept. This paper therefore discusses the ways in which the the role of media in realising the concept of 1Malaysia.