KOTA KINABALU: Political campaigners in the upcoming state election must adopt authentic, youth-centric strategies on social media to effectively engage young voters, says a political researcher and lecturer.
Dr. Latif Lai of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), has found that despite being prolific users of platforms like TikTok and Instagram, young voters’ participation was largely passive.
New research also suggests that it was more about consuming content than contributing to political discourse, he said.
This was found in a study report titled “Beyond the Ballot: Measuring Political Literacy in the Age of Social Media,” where it was also revealed that a significant gap exists between Gen Z’s high social media usage and their low levels of political literacy and engagement.
Presenting his findings at the third Regional Symposium on Social Sciences and Humanities Issues held on Wednesday (Sept 24), Latif highlighted a disconnect between the perceived political agency of young voters and their actual knowledge.
“While Gen Z shows moderate levels of political efficacy, the mismatch with their factual understanding puts them at risk of misinformation,” he explained.
Based on a survey of 344 undergraduates in Sabah, the study concludes that traditional, top-down campaign methods are no longer effective.
To win over this generation, political parties must embrace interactive, visually engaging approaches that resonate with youth concerns, such as the cost of living, employment and mental health, on platforms they already frequent, Latif stressed.
Latif is a senior lecturer at UMS and leads the UMS–UNICEF C4D Research Unit.
His work focuses on social and behaviour change communication, youth empowerment, especially in politics, as well as health behaviour.
