Seemingly unconnected, one thing that they have in common is the usage of artificial intelligence on social media to reach out to fans or voters as the case may be.
Malaysians may be waking up at odd hours to watch the matches, but that hasn’t stopped us from being inundated with AI-generated content.
Even famous football managers have not been spared from “words being put in their mouths” – literally, as these videos of them giving press conferences look genuine and can fool anyone.
And just like the World Cup, the Johor election is unfolding in a new information environment.
As Johoreans prepare to cast their ballots on July 11 for the 16th State Legislative Assembly, they face a campaign unlike those before.
Political parties are deploying AI with increasing sophistication – to analyse voter data, map sentiments, micro-target messages, power chatbots and generate content at scale. This technological shift promises sharper outreach and more responsive politics. It also carries grave risks.
Yes, the same technology that promises sharper engagement also supercharges the spread of misinformation. Voters are already being bombarded with fake news, fabricated candidate lists, manipulated images and misleading claims. Some of this is crude; some are increasingly sophisticated and AI-assisted.
But there are resources available to verify this information. The True or Not tab on The Star Online https://www.thestar.com.my/news/true-or-not/ is one such resource.
The Malaysian Media Council’s timely launch of the Semak Berita fact-checking portal specifically for these polls is also a welcome counter-measure. This should lead to stronger coordination with platforms to curb the misuse of media logos and the deliberate circulation of falsehoods.
In this noisy landscape, one duty is clear: arm yourself with knowledge from trustworthy sources.
Malaysians should cultivate habits of verification such as relying on official Election Commission (EC) information and established news organisations with proper editorial standards, and verified fact-checking initiatives.
People react to emotionally charged claims, especially those that stoke fear or grievance along racial or religious lines. These viral WhatsApp claims or unverified social media videos should be treated with scepticism. We need an informed electorate, not an inflamed one.
In the age of generative AI, critical thinking is no longer optional; it is a duty of citizenship.
The greater threat, however, is not technology itself but the politics of hatred and racial distrust that some actors still seek to exploit.
The Prime Minister himself has described the Johor election as an opportunity for voters to reject politics rooted in hatred, prejudice and racial or religious division.
He is correct. Malaysians have repeatedly shown they do not want leaders who treat racial and religious sentiments as daily political capital.
Such tactics have been used repeatedly but they are strategically bankrupt in a country whose strength lies in its diversity and its ability to manage differences through institutions rather than incitement.
We should reject this toxicity outright. Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with a healthy parliamentary democracy. Our system provides stability through the monarchy while allowing genuine contestation of ideas, policies and records through regular elections.
It is designed for debate over development, governance and the economy – not for the deliberate stoking of communal suspicion.
When politics descends into the politics of hatred, it weakens the very institutions that have allowed Malaysia to progress and maintain peace for decades.
Johor can offer a powerful counter-narrative. The state has attracted record investment, continues to develop as a key economic engine and benefits from a young, dynamic population.
The real contest should be over who can best sustain that momentum: who will improve infrastructure, skills, public services and quality of life for all communities, without favouritism or scapegoating.
Bread-and-butter issues – jobs, cost of living, education, healthcare and clean governance – matter far more to most voters than manufactured division.
The Johor polls is the start of election season. It will be followed in quick succession by Negri Sembilan and then Melaka. These elections will be the barometer for the next General Election.
Starting with Johor, Malaysians will have a choice. We can reward those who campaign on substance, track records and a vision of shared progress. Or we can allow the space to be dominated by noise, falsehoods and the tired politics of distrust. The healthier path is obvious. Reject the toxicity. Demand facts. Insist on unity.
In doing so, Johor can not only decide its next state government but also send a clear message to the rest of Malaysia about the kind of democracy its people want – one that is mature, informed, and worthy of our constitutional inheritance.
The ballot is the place to affirm that vision. Use it wisely.
Brian Martin
Brian Martin is the managing editor of The Star.
