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Post 14th GE: The Impact of Social Media on Malaysia's Political Landscape

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This article discusses the Malaysian political uncertainty situation exacerbated by an ethnic and religious hatred mode on social media after the new Malaysian government coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH), won the general elections in 2018 especially among young voters. This is based on a recent increase in Malaysians' political awareness. Malaysia is a parliamentary democracy that values freedom of choice, and the voice of people is still important for the survival of security. The Malaysian political landscape was significantly changed by a major tsunami in the 14th General Election, in which the Barisan Nasional (BN) party was defeated for the first time by another coalition party called Pakatan Harapan (PH). At the time, political participations among young voters increased in a form of voting across races, reflecting not only a specific race but also the macro participations of various races. This article aims to examine the dynamics of youth political perceptions that are affected by the exposure of media, the implications that are reflected on the political crisis arises when the collapse of PH, and the formation of a new coalition by several parties trying to form a new government. Incitement and hatred-based comments made online, whether by netizens, political parties, or politicians, to defeat their opponent party, have become one of the most influential factors affecting Malaysia's political stability and government effectiveness. As a result of those factors, Malaysians' perceptions of the PH government have shifted.
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In-Text Citation: (Taib & Vivian, 2022)
To Cite this Article: Taib, R., & Vivian, B. T. (2022). Post 14th GE: The Impact of Social Media on Malaysia's Political Landscape. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences. 12(6), 739– 750.