AFTER a week of campaigning in Sabah’s 17th General Election, the state’s major thoroughfares and small-town streets alike are awash with party flags and posters.
Yet the true battleground has shifted decisively online, where videos, images and AI-generated content showcasing achievements, promises and policies now dominate the contest for voters’ attention.
Researchers say this trend is unsurprising.
Dr Haryati Abdul Karim of the Election and Borneo Geopolitics Research Unit (GeoPES), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), notes that social media has become the preferred source of political information, especially among younger voters.
The senior lecturer said that surveys indicate 45 per cent of Sabah voters aged 18 to 60 turn to social media for political updates, far outpacing the 25 per cent who rely on electronic media.
“It is also noteworthy that 17 per cent of these respondents obtain their political information from family members, showing that families can play a role in disseminating political information during this election campaign.
“Only 5.9 per cent of respondents choose to get their political information through print media, reflecting the changing media landscape today, where social media dominates and print media is losing its influence,” she told Bernama.
“When AI becomes a primary source of information, it is worrying if many users become trapped in digital hallucinations... if ‘AI hallucinates’ and subsequently produces inaccurate data, then that inaccurate data will trap voters’ choices,” she said.
“Of course, political parties use these issues according to the areas identified to ensure that the campaign focus is truly effective,” she said.
“Better voter literacy enables them to distinguish between sweet promises and realistic promises; aside from assessing the manifesto, they will also evaluate whether the candidate and the party are capable of delivering, or whether the promises will remain mere promises,” she added.
The Election Commission has fixed 25 November for early voting and 29 November for polling day. - November 23, 2025
