CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON PUBLIC APOLOGIES AMONG MALAYSIAN PUBLIC FIGURES: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55197/qjssh.v7si1.1196Keywords:
public apology, cultural influence, Malaysian public figures, framing, communication, normologyAbstract
Public apologies by Malaysian public figure such as political leaders, celebrities, internet influencers, and entrepreneurs have been under consistent scrutiny on digital platforms such as X, Instagram, Threads, and TikTok where audiences actively evaluate their sincerity and cultural appropriateness. Although apology communication has been widely studied in Western contexts, there remains a lack of systematic understanding of how Malaysia’s collectivist and high context cultural norms can shape apology strategies and audience interpretations. This gap limits the applicability of the existing image repair theories to non-Western societies. To address this issue, this systematic literature review (SLR) examines how cultural factors influence the framing, expression, and public reception of apologies among Malaysian public figures guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. The review analysed studies published between 2020 and 2025 from two databases; Google Scholar and SCOPUS that explore the intersection of culture, communication, and public image repair. Findings reveal that Malaysian public apologies emphasize moral responsibility, respect for hierarchy, and face saving. This reflects a harmony-oriented communication deeply rooted in the nation’s multicultural identity. However, empirical integration across studies remains limited. The review also highlights the limitations of Western-centric models, such as Benoit’s Image Repair Theory, and proposes incorporating culturally grounded perspectives such as normology. Overall, this synthesis helps understand intercultural and crisis communication by offering a culturally informed framework for understanding apology practices in Malaysia’s sociocultural landscape.
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