THE #UndiRosak social media campaign, encouraging Malaysians to spoil their votes as a form of protest against both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan, is a hot topic on Twitter, where criticism of it appears to outweigh support.

Social media research outfit Politweet.org said interest in #UndiRosak among Malaysians was high based on tweets, and posted a map that showed the topic trending mostly on the peninsula’s west coast and central region.

“Local interest in #UndiRosak is widespread, though we haven’t measured support for the movement yet. This map shows where profiled users tweeting about it are located,” said Politweet.

Celebrities like Daphne Iking and Nur Fathia Latiff are among the latest high-profile individuals to add to the discussion, urging their followers to choose wisely.

Iking, a host and model, retweeted a message calling on voters to choose the lesser evil, even if they were unhappy with both BN and PH.

“Ppl have been asking me ‘how do you know who is less evil?’. Start with knowing the MP and ADUN (state assemblyman) candidate nanti bila diumumkan (when it is announced). Kena rajinlah sikit (Be more diligent). Research. If he/she is the current MP, ADUN, dia buat kerja tak selama ni (has he or she been doing work)? Kalau tak (If not)? Bye2. Macam tu (Just like that),” she added in another tweet.

Popular Malay TV actress Nur Fathia urged her followers to exercise their right to choose.

“#UndiRosak takpayah nak merosakkan Undi. Pilih pakatan harapan je dengan penuh harapan. Your undi (vote) is your choice,” she tweeted, urging people to vote for PH.

Today, even the Election Commission felt compelled to issue a statement, reminding the public to cherish their right to vote.

“They must remember that voting is a very precious opportunity and right that is enshrined in the federal constitution, that should be utilised by every voter,” said chairman Mohd Hashim Abdullah.

Most Twitter users who posted with the #UndiRosak hashtag expressed critical views of the campaign.

Radio host Eza Zaid said he did not “get” the debate.

“It reeks of a sense of privilege that this country just can’t afford right now.”

“So rajin to do something so pointless,” tweeted user @Inbaraj, on people who are willing to wake up early to go to polling centres, only to spoil their votes.

“5 tahun tunggu PRU and you choose for #UndiRosak (You wait five years for the general election and you choose #UndiRosak)?” said @Izaan.

Other users said the campaign was “screwing” democracy, and would cause “real and unintended consequences”. Some also described it as “irresponsible”, “childish” and a move that “makes your voice become voiceless”.

One user, Fikri Hasim, said casting a spoilt vote was “the most suitable act to be done when you are stuck with two corrupt dictators”.

His tweet prompted a long debate with several other users, in which he expressed his dislike for both Prime Minister Najib Razak and PH’s prime minister designate Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The former prime minister, who now leads PH, is a key factor in the #UndiRosak campaign because of his authoritarian track record.

Dr Mahathir has described the #UndiRosak campaign as shallow-minded and alleged that Umno was behind it to sabotage PH.

However, the campaign was actually started by an informal, loosely organised group of outspoken, articulate young activists in September last year.

Political activists Hafidz Baharom and Maryam Lee are some of its most active proponents.

Hafidz told KiniTV in a live show yesterday that he had been an opposition supporter for the past decade, but felt that the opposition pact was not ready to govern the country, after scrutinising its policies.

“I’m willing to wait another five to 10 years (for a change in the federal government),” he said to the astonishment of two other fellow panellists, Bersih 2.0 secretariat secretary Mandeep Singh and Universiti Malaya senior lecturer Dr Khoo Ying Hooi.

Both Mandeep and Khoo feel very strongly that it is time for BN, formerly the Alliance, to go, after ruling Malaya and, later, Malaysia, since 1957.

Khoo said it was irresponsible for people like Hafidz to encourage others to spoil their votes without offering concrete solutions.

Lee, meanwhile, said in an interview with BFM radio yesterday that spoiling votes was an act of desperation, adding that she cared about politics deeply and had been tracking it for years.

“We are very loud on social media but we are a minority… (Spoiling our votes) does not mean we are supporters of BN… We care about everyday issues,” she said, refuting accusations that only privileged, young, middle-class voters can afford to spoil their votes.

BN politicians have denied being behind #UndiRosak, and warned voters against supporting it.

BN communications director Abdul Rahman Dahlan said the ruling coalition could not be behind it as “BN supporters still want us to remain as the government, so they will go out to cast their votes”.

Umno Supreme Council member Shahidan Kassim and MCA Youth chief Chong Sin Woon had told The Star that it was better for voters to pick a side than to spoil their votes.

“If they don’t believe in BN or PH, who are they going to trust? At the end of the day, they will have to live with the government that rules the country.

“They have no choice, but to make a choice. They must pick a side,” Shahidan was quoted as saying.

Chong said PH supporters unhappy with the opposition’s choice of Dr Mahathir as its prime minister designate should consider BN.

“It is better to cast a vote because otherwise, others will decide for you.” – January 26, 2018.