UTILISING social media platforms such as Twitter and TikTok will not guarantee voter support for political parties in the next general election, analysts said.

They said that there was no evidence to back claims that such apps can attract or influence voters, and that politicians should instead stick to traditional methods. 

Iman Research director of programmes Badrul Hisyam Ismail told The Malaysian Insight that politicians are disillusioned if they believe that social media platforms can help them win the polls.

He said conventional methods are still the best way to attract voters to vote, adding that Malaysians would only cast their ballot for a candidate if their “presence is felt”.

Recently, co-founder and education director of Undi18, Qyira Yusri told The Malaysian Insight the next general election would be a TikTok election.

She said the app was the fastest growing platform, with videos garnering millions of views.

She said this when asked on the group’s plan to educate rural voters, where she said it will be through social media.

Badrul cited the example of Johor and Malacca elections, where voters did not come out to vote despite many online campaigns.

“Using digital platforms is not effective despite what politicians think. Look at Johor and Malacca. Digital platforms were used widely but people didn’t come out to vote.

“They are disillusioned if they think this method is effective. The use of social media to attract voters may not necessarily translate to votes.

“The trend in Malaysia is such that, if we don’t see the candidate in front of us, we won’t vote for that party. The scale is not the same. A thousand views on TikTok may be high, but a similar number of votes isn’t,” he said.

Recent statistics showed Malaysia has 1.44 million voters aged between 18 and 20. Young voters form 6.9% of the 21.03 million in the 2021 electoral roll gazetted by the Election Commission on January 17.

Selangor has the highest number of new voters aged below 21 with 280,495, followed by Johor (176,618), and Sarawak (133,015).

Undi18, the youth movement that successfully advocated to reduce the minimum voting age in Malaysia from 21 to 18, is now on a mission to prepare youth and first-time voters for the 15th general election.

Its main goal is not to teach the basics on how to vote but to make sure they understand the consequences of their vote.

The group will be mobilising their machinery nationwide to prepare young and first-time voters.

More reach in urban areas

Meanwhile, Ilham Centre executive director Hisommudin Bakar said social media platforms can help reach youth and fence sitters, especially first-time voters. 

While traditional ways of election campaigning would still take place, social media will be widely used in urban and semi-urban seats.

“They will attract youth and fence sitters who have yet to make up their minds. But mostly, those aged below 50 living in urban or semi-urban areas would use these platforms.

“It is not the case for rural areas or people above 50 years of age. They will rely on old campaigning methods such as going door-to-door and night ceramah,” he said.

Hisommudin added that it was inevitable that youth would solely rely on online campaigns to receive information.

“It is a new era. Technology is now very advanced, and people don’t have to gather at one place to hear a campaign speech. They can view it from their homes.

“It cannot be denied that the segment will be the young, first-time voters and fence sitters. But there will still be old school methods,” he stated.

Dr Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, on the other hand, said unofficial election campaigns have already begun on social media platforms with all parties, trying to utilise the apps as much as they can.

“Campaigns have started. Although nothing specific about the election, all parties are now on these platforms. Every ceramah now from the opposition can be viewed on Facebook, Youtube and TikTok.

“I think the scale would be much bigger during the campaign period. All sorts of information will be shared online at that time. We will see a new way of election campaigning in the next polls,” said the academic. – September 5, 2022.