UMNO cybertroopers have been told to step up their social presence to counter claims by the opposition and to woo young voters to Barisan Nasional (BN) as the 14th general election draws closer.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told a gathering of some 1,300 Umno supporters and party cybertroopers to be ready to answer opposition propaganda and to reach out to young Malaysians aged 18 to 29.

Of this age group, 92% of them are active social media users, he said.

“Numerous attacks have been made by those who are anti-Umno and anti-BN in social media, helping the public to build a negative perception towards us.

“I admit BN had lost the perception game in social media since the 12th and 13th general elections,” Zahid said at the Sabah Umno IT Bureau Convention in Kota Kinabalu today.

Zahid, who is also party vice-president performing the duties of deputy president, said the opposition had sent their social media campaigners for training overseas in places like Taiwan.

But he added, BN would be well prepared to “respond to fake news” as the ruling coalition’s own cybertroopers had undergone training.

Zahid also rubbished the way the opposition mounted their attacks against BN, which he said involved digging up secrets, poking fun and shaming people.

“Some say they were only practicing their rights to freedom of expression under the name of democracy, but in reality, they are using the social media platform to poke fun and shame others.

“And when someone is angry, they think it is some kind of success. This is unacceptable,” he said.

Instead of this approach, he advised Umno cypertroopers to use softer and more persuasive tactics in wooing young Malaysians into supporting BN.

Also present were Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman, the deputy chief minister, members of the state Cabinet, as well as Umno IT bureau chairman Ahmad Maslan.  – December 16, 2017.