KOTA KINABALU: The influence of social media on information consumption and opinion formation is increasing, particularly among younger voters.
Political analyst Dr. Kanul Gindol believes that social media, along with its content and mechanisms, significantly affects the elections in Sabah!
“Absolutely. Nowadays, nearly everyone in Sabah engages with social media. They consume news, share information, and most of us spend a considerable amount of time in the realm of social media every day.
“Therefore, the forthcoming election in Sabah is heavily influenced by social media.
“In one way or another, social media has become the most powerful tool in shaping our perspectives on various issues,” he stated when reached by Jesselton Times.
Dr. Kanul is an independent journalist and a keen observer of Sabah’s political landscape.
His areas of expertise include political communication.
Additionally, he heads a civil society organization, the Gindol Initiative for Civil Society Borneo.
According to Dr. Kanul, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) play a crucial role in shaping public opinion for the upcoming Sabah election.
“Long before the candidates from various parties arrive in your village, these platforms will have already delivered any information or discussions regarding these politicians and their parties right to your home.
“Once these campaigning politicians depart from the kampung, residents will share their opinions or photos of them, and all of this will impact the thoughts and sentiments throughout the entire kampung,” he stated.
Dr. Kanul noted that while individuals may perceive the positive and negative aspects presented on social media differently, collectively, they engage in discussions, forming both agreements and disagreements regarding decisions.
“Certainly, personal choices on polling day are influenced by numerous factors, which vary based on each individual’s background.
“They might consume all the content available on social media and be swayed by it, but ultimately, their personal preferences and reasoning will guide their final decision.
“In fact, our young Sabahans aged 18 to 39 have become increasingly politically aware due to social media. They understand governance and are conscious of issues that matter to Sabahans and Sabah,” he added.
Dr. Kanul stated: “In my political literacy classes for around 400 individuals aged 18-25, conducted across 10 Sabah state constituencies from July 2025 until recently, I discovered that nearly all participants preferred the ‘local party’ over the ‘Malaya party’ when asked about their choice for the upcoming November 29 election.”
“This feeling was strongly reflected on social media, especially when older Sabahans supported it, which ignited further online conversations among the youth. Through social media, these young voters are encouraged to engage more with these intense discussions,” he explained.
Dr. Kanul noted that young Sabahans typically do not attend ‘ceramah’, making social media a useful tool for them.
“These young people simply do not participate in ceramah.
“In my opinion, without social media, or without skilled and committed teams to handle these platforms, election candidates face significant challenges.
“Traditional media, like print, also requires social media for speed, reach, engagement, and interaction,” he added.
He emphasized that content is crucial, stating that what voters see—candidate profiles, promises, visuals, party visions, and missions—shapes their perceptions.
“That is why I mentioned it must be ‘managed’; there should be someone to ensure it ‘influences’ the election as intended,” he remarked.
Dr. Kanul mentioned that there are currently 1.8 million voters in Sabah.
“Approximately 60% of these voters are between the ages of 18 and 39, so the significant impact of social media in Sabah will be evident in the polling results on November 29.
“This will be the first time that Undi18 Sabahans will participate in a state election. In 2022, Undi18 voted, but only in a Parliamentary election, and the issues at that time were also widely debated on social media, not just here but throughout Malaysia.
“And we witnessed the results of change, thanks to the rapid spread of social media; in 2022, Umno secured only 26 out of 222 Parliamentary seats,” he stated.
The 10 DUNs included in Dr. Kanul’s political literacy classes were Bengkoka, Matunggong, Bandau, Tulid, Limbahau, Inanam, Karambunai, Moyog, Tempasuk and Kiulu.
