Impact of Social Media on Political Views, Participation and Voting Behaviour Among Young Malaysian Voters During 2023 Malaysian State Elections

Cheah, Nicole Chee Nee (2023) Impact of Social Media on Political Views, Participation and Voting Behaviour Among Young Malaysian Voters During 2023 Malaysian State Elections. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

The 2023 Malaysian State Elections which involved Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu on August 12, 2023 was held after the country’s 15th General Election. Given that most of the dominant social media users are younger generations and have used social media daily as part of their daily life routine, how young voters use social media platforms during elections is an essential question to answer. This research intends to find out the roles of social media during the state elections and their impact on young voters’ voting decisions and political participation. Young Malaysian voters who were eligible to vote in the 2023 Malaysian state elections (n=100) were surveyed. Results showed that youths often get political news and information on the state elections on social media, especially on Facebook. They are also willing to follow the social media accounts of news companies and political parties or politicians to get informed about the elections. The research also found that there is an association between how often young voters get political news and information on social media and their online political participation during the elections period.