FRAMING OF CONTROVERSIAL CARICATURES OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD: A STUDY OF TWO MALAYSIAN MAINSTREAM NEWSPAPERS

In early 2006, the world was once again shaken by a globalcontroversy. this time it was the act of a danish newspaper,jyllands-posten which had boldly published twelve controversialcaricatures of prophet muhammad. there was a big outcryworldwide especially from the muslim countries protesting onthis act. issues and debates were raised in the mass media and bymany muslim countries and their leaders, and without exception,malaysia had joined in this worldwide protest. however,malaysia had gone a step further in reprimanding the mediawhich had joined in the league to publish the caricatures. severalnewspapers were ordered to stop publishing and the editors weresummoned to defend their actions. this study aims to see how themalaysian mainstream media frame the controversial issue of thecaricature of prophet muhammad.