KUCHING: Social media will remain a primary campaigning tool in the upcoming Sarawak state election, particularly in reaching younger voters, says Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) deputy secretary-general Datuk Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman.
Fazzrudin, who serves as deputy chairman of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) election war room, said digital platforms would complement traditional face-to-face campaigning during the polls.
"Of course we will have to meet the voters themselves. Face time is important, but social media is critical as well," he said on Wednesday (Nov 4).
With the increased reliance on online platforms, Fazzrudin cautioned voters against the proliferation of misleading content, specifically artificial intelligence (AI)-generated material and altered viral videos.
"We are going to expect a lot of that. So please verify because with AI and new technology, a lot of things can be untrue or half-true," he advised.
On election preparations, Fazzrudin said the GPS secretariat has activated its operations following a coordination meeting led by coalition secretary-general Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi last week.
He added that the coalition's election operations committee met on Tuesday (Nov 3) to establish key sub-committees, including those overseeing publicity and communications.
"This is our usual practice for elections. All the committees will carry out their duties respectively, roping in all the component parties," said the Tupong incumbent.
GPS, comprising PBB, the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), and the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), contested all 82 seats in the election following the dissolution of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly on Oct 26.
