KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 — Malaysia’s mainstream media outlets that have traditionally given favourable reports to the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition have taken on a "more factual tone” after Pakatan Harapan’s victory in the 14th general election, Singapore daily The Straits Times (ST) has said.

ST cited the headlines on May 10 for the MCA-owned The Star ("Dr M to be sworn in”), and for Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia ("Gabungan PKR umum menang” PKR pact claims victory) and New Straits Times (Pakatan claims victory).

Both Utusan Malaysia and NST published a photo showing PH chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, which the ST contrasted with the mainstream media’s previous efforts to avoid featuring Dr Mahathir’s photograph.

The ST highlighted that the mainstream media had tried to suggest that Dr Mahathir was not actually leading PH, with photos of PH’s component parties PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and DAP’s Lim Kit Siang featured instead in the past.

It said Malay-language papers here had featured the idea that voting for the PH allegedly meant a vote for the DAP. The DAP has repeatedly sought to refute allegations that it is anti-Malay and has repeatedly said it is a multiracial party.

In the days leading to the GE14 polling day on May 9, Malay Mail spotted Utusan Malaysia featuring an uncredited infographic warning of a purported "DAP virus”.

The ST noted that mainstream media had constantly named Dr Mahathir as a 93-year-old, and that BN’s then caretaker deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said on Monday that the nonagenarian should be caring for his grandchildren instead.

This is despite Dr Mahathir only celebrating his 93-year-old birthday in July.

The ST said it remains to be seen whether the media would be friendlier in its coverage of PH following the latter’s win.

In GE14, the PH achieved a surprise win by getting simple majority with 113 federal seats, breaking BN and its predecessor Alliance’s six decades’ grip on power.

BN had enjoyed easy access to the media in the past as the then ruling coalition, with its chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak addressing the nation in live broadcasts on the eve of polling day to announce several promised goodies through both private and public television broadcasters.

Dr Mahathir had on that night instead relied on a live broadcast through the free social media platform Facebook, with the latter saying that the pre-polling day message had reached five million Malaysians.