FLAGS FILL THE STREETS AS SABAH POLLS HIT MID-CAMPAIGN, BUT THE REAL FIGHT IS ONLINE

By Fadzli Ramli

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- A week into the 17th Sabah state election campaign, the main roads across this city and towns throughout the state are already lined with a vibrant spread of party flags and posters.

Yet beneath the bustle of physical campaigning, the real battleground is turning out to be the digital sphere. Videos, images and AI-generated content showcasing achievements, pledges and policies of parties and candidates have been circulating widely in the race to win over voters.

Dr Haryati Abdul Karim, a researcher with the Borneo Electoral and Geopolitics Research Unit (GeoPES) at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), said this shift is hardly surprising given how social media has become the primary source of information, especially among younger voters.

The UMS senior lecturer said their research shows that 45 per cent of respondents comprise Sabah voters aged 18 to 60 seeking political information through social media, far surpassing the 25 per cent who rely on electronic media.

“It is also interesting that 17 per cent of respondents get their political information from family members, indicating that families continue to play a role in shaping political understanding during the campaign period.

“Only 5.9 per cent of respondents choose to obtain political information from print media, reflecting how the media landscape has evolved. Social platforms dominate while print continues to lose ground,” she told Bernama.

Haryati said that WhatsApp remains the most favoured social platform among Sabah voters, with 42 per cent of respondents using it for political content. This is followed by TikTok (36 per cent), Facebook (32 per cent), YouTube (13 per cent) and other platforms.

Meanwhile, UMS’s Head of Networking and Professional Development Unit, Dr Faerozh Madli, said that despite the buzz around social media campaigning, young voters with limited digital literacy are at risk of falling for misinformation and political manipulation.

Irresponsible use of AI on social media, whether to boost support or attack opponents, is worrying, as it can sway voters who are not digitally savvy, he said. 

Faerozh said that when AI becomes a primary source of information, users could end up trapped in what he described as ‘digital hallucination’, where inaccurate or misleading data is generated, and this would be concerning. 

“Inaccurate data will ultimately distort voters’ choices,” he said. 

Issues surrounding governance, leadership, development, the economy and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) have dominated the first week of campaigning. Yet, these issues resonate differently with voters depending on the region.

According to a study by UMS’ Centre for the Promotion of Knowledge and Language, governance issues, including administration, corruption, public services and MA63, feature prominently among voters in the West Coast, partly due to greater media access and higher literacy levels.

Senior lecturer Dr Amy Azuan Abdullah said that in the Interior, development and economic concerns take precedence, driven by long-standing needs for basic infrastructure such as roads, water, electricity and better economic opportunities.

On the East Coast, he said the pattern is more varied. In the northern areas, development and economic issues are more prominent, especially in places like Sandakan, which are experiencing rapid growth and seeking more business and employment prospects.

Meanwhile, in the southern districts such as Tawau, campaign narratives are centred on leadership quality and political capability, reflecting the area’s more complex political dynamics. Some parties even focus solely on this region, such as Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (Harapan). 

“Political parties will naturally highlight specific issues that resonate in each targeted area to ensure that their campaign focus lands effectively,” he said.

As the campaign gathers pace,  parties have begun unveiling their manifestos, with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) among the earliest, presenting a platform anchored in the theme  ‘Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga – Tanah Air Maju, Rakyat Berkemajuan’, on Nov 17. Perikatan Nasional (PN) followed suit yesterday.

Barisan Nasional launched its manifesto today, introducing the One Sabah Development Plan (RPS1), built around six core pillars to advance the state’s development and people’s wellbeing, while Pakatan Harapan will unveil its manifesto tomorrow.

However, GeoPES researcher Azizan H Morshidi believes it is still too early to assess the manifestos, given that they have only just been introduced. In the end, he said, voters will judge parties not only based on promises but also on their capacity to deliver.

“With better voter literacy today, people can distinguish between sweet promises and realistic commitments. Beyond what is written, voters will also ask whether the party or candidate can carry out those pledges or if they will remain just promises,” he said.

Polling has been fixed for Nov 29 while early voting is on Nov 25. For the latest updates on the state election, visit https://prn.bernama.com/sabah/index.php 

-- BERNAMA