A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF ONLINE NEWS REPORTING ON THE PERTAMINA CORRUPTION SCANDAL IN INDONESIA

Abstract

Corruption remains one of the most persistent socio-political problems in Indonesia, particularly when it involves state-owned enterprises that play a strategic role in the national economy. One recent case that attracted extensive public and media attention is the alleged corruption involving PT Pertamina, Indonesia’s state-owned oil and gas company. Media coverage of this case does not merely report facts but also constructs particular meanings, perspectives, and ideologies through language. Therefore, this study aims to examine how corruption is represented in online news reporting on the Pertamina corruption case by employing Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). This research adopts a qualitative approach using Norman Fairclough’s three-dimensional framework of Critical Discourse Analysis, which consists of text analysis, discursive practice, and socio-cultural practice. The data of this study are taken from selected online news articles published by national and international media outlets, such as BBC News Indonesia and Reuters, which reported on the Pertamina corruption case during the investigation period. The analysis focuses on linguistic features such as lexical choices, transitivity patterns, modality, and thematic structures to reveal how actors, actions, and responsibilities are represented in the news discourse. The findings show that online news media tend to construct corruption primarily as a legal and economic issue by emphasizing legal procedures, financial losses, and the role of law enforcement institutions. Linguistically, corrupt actors are often represented through passive constructions or nominalizations, which reduce explicit agency and obscure institutional responsibility. Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies are consistently portrayed as active, authoritative, and legitimate actors, reinforcing their positive public image. At the level of discursive practice, the dominance of elite sources, such as government officials and legal authorities, limits the presence of alternative voices, including civil society groups or independent experts. At the socio-cultural level, the discourse reflects broader power relations and ideological tendencies that individualize corruption while marginalizing its structural and systemic causes. This study concludes that online news reporting on the Pertamina corruption case not only informs the public but also plays a significant role in shaping public perception and understanding of corruption in Indonesia. By highlighting certain aspects and downplaying others, media discourse contributes to the reproduction of dominant ideologies and power structures. The study is expected to contribute to discourse analysis studies, media studies, and anti-corruption discourse by providing deeper insight into how language functions as a tool of power in news reporting.