James Gomez

Negative Campaigning in Malaysia

Negative campaigning is a notable feature in Malaysian elections.

To date it has been extensively used by the ruling coalition BN, in particular UMNO, against its rivals via political advertisements and news placed in the mainstream media.

Past studies have shown that print (Anuar 2010; de Run et al, 2013) in particular have been the main channels of negative campaigning for the ruling regime.

Table 1: Newspaper Circulation Figures (Paid) – East and West Malaysia

Language Jan-Jun 2014 Jul-Dec 2013 Jan-Jun 2013 Jul-Dec 2012 Jan-Jun 2012

Bahasa 1,862,958 1,954,653 2,114,099 2,081,850 2,179,759

English 767,891 782,582 850,064 797,784 813,995

Chinese 802,382 813,324 849,763 850,232 864,430

Tamil 0 40,740 40,800 37,965 36,244

Total 3,433,231 3,591,299 3,854,726 3,767,831 3,886,428

Source: Audit Bureau of Circulation, Malaysia

Online Negative Campaigning

Online aspects of negative campaigning in Malaysia’s 2013 elections thus have been highlighted by recent studies (Anuar 2014; Azizul Yadi Yaakop et al, 2014; Nazrin Shahnaz Peer Mohamed 2013)

These suggest that more attention is needed to understand the impact and consequences of online negative campaigning.

Table 2: Population, Internet and Voter Statistics

Election Year 2008 2013 2018

Population 25,274,130 29,915,300 32, 000,000

Internet Penetration 15,868,000 20,140,125

Voters 10, 740, 227 13,268,002 -

Source: Various Malaysia governmental and international agencies

Table 3: Online Media Penetration in Malaysia

Online News Media Numbers of Unique Browsers

thestar.com.my 2,221,763

utusan.com.my 1,171,578

bharian.com.my 769,772

malaysiakini.com 1,858,649

themalaysianinsider.com 1,117,124

Source: Malaysian Digital Association’s (MDA)

Table 4: Social Media Statistics

Year 2008 2013 2014

Facebook 800,000 13,220,000 15,000,000

Twitter 3,429 2,000,000 3,500,000

Source: Forest-interactive.com

Table 5: Use of Mobile Users in Malaysia

Year Mobile Penetration Rate Mobile Users Smart Phone Users

2012 132.93% 30,379,000 8,195,600

2013 140% 35,700,000 9,639,000

Source: Compiled from Forest-Interactive (www.forest-interactive.com)

In 2008, the 12th general elections observed that the internet helped theopposition score electoral success (Rajaratnam 2009; MohdSani andZengeni 2010; Suffian 2010;Ndoma and Tumin 2011; Weiss 2012)

The former Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi to admit that his “biggestmistake” to ignore the cyber campaigning over the internet and this wasa “serious misjudgment” that resulted in the loss BN suffered at the 2008polls.(AFP, 25 March 2008).

Back in GE 2008, the new media electoral landscape comprised of blogs,party websites and alternative news portals and not really social mediaas we it know today

The social media tool that was most effectively by the opposition inGE2008 was YouTube

From New Media in GE12 (2008) to Social Media in GE13 (2013)

By 2013 the usage of social media wasincreasing as both parties and party leadersare joined Facebook and Twitter before2013 general election was held

In the 2013 elections, Najib Razak was themost popular political leader based on hisTwitter followers and Facebook fans

In terms of images and messages oversocial media the content shows that BN isable to project a singular branding with asingle image in Najib as the leader

On the other hand, PR is unable to effectiveportray a singular coalition branding or aconvincing single coalition leadership icon

Social Media & its Impact on GE13

Facebook of Political Parties and Leaders in Malaysia on April 2013

Malaysian Voters 2008 & 2013

Popular Votes of Political Party

YouTube was the only Social Media Platform that was used in 2008General Election as both parties and party leaders had YouTubeaccounts and used it during the 2008 general election.

By 2013 the usage of social media was increasing as both parties andparty leaders are joined Facebook and Twitter before 2013 generalelection was held

When evaluating the social media related outcomes of the of the 13th

Malaysian general elections, it is the net impact of social media’spolitical influence in the last five years and not just the campaignperiod that analysts need to consider.

The social media’s impact on GE13 may lie in its ability to have playedan important part in encouraging high voter turnout.

The findings of the Malaysia GE13 suggest that social media doesinfluence more voters to turn out during elections.

SOCIAL MEDIA & Its IMPACT on GE13

Social media in Malaysia has been influential in keeping important politicalissues in the forefront in the last five years prior to the 2013 elections

Thus both sides pushing content through the various FB pages, videoportals and twitter, did not significantly alter the results in BN’s favour

Evaluating the social media related outcomes of the of the 13th Malaysiangeneral elections, it is the net impact of social media’s political influence inthe last five years and not just the campaign period that analysts need toconsider

Malaysian voters were keen to hear significant movement in policy areasrelated to the high cost of living, governmental corruption and equaltreatment and opportunities for all Malaysian regardless of race or ethnicity.

Malaysia’s 13th general election was not a “social media election”, at leastnot for the ruling BN when we considered the electoral results

Not a Social Media Election

Negative campaigning & political polarization

This presentation builds on these emerging studies by confirming that in GE13, although negative campaign continued via the mainstream media, it has also now spilled onto social media platforms.

However, it argues that the use of negative campaigning by competing parties over social media deepens polarization during elections and gives cause to election violence in Malaysian politics.

There is evidence that post-GE13 online negative campaigning is well-entrenched and is likely continue into the next general election with possible election violence consequences.

Negative Campaigning and Election Violence: “Samseng Videos”

One of the features of social media in GE13 was its use for negative campaigning. This has been the main side effect of GE13 social media campaign in Malaysia.

Social media became the “consolidated” platform for negative campaigning.

This had an impact on party supporters, especially the youth, in translating negative feelings into actions