Abstract
This chapter encapsulates the impact of ICTs on political developments in Malaysia. The emergence and use of new media expanded the public sphere in Malaysia for political debate and discourse, enabling minority views to emerge and empowering the then opposition and civil society. However, the then BN government levelled the online playing field by equalising its cyber-presence. Ironically, Malaysia’s political transformation during GE14 was spearheaded by former PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed, an old-school politician, who successfully adopted and adapted ICTs in political campaigning in the new media age. ICTs shaped the initial democratic process in Malaysia in the beginning, but ultimately it was the people’s use of technology that gave rise to political reform. It is likely that PR-isation and media-isation will increase in GE15 as politics become image-driven, packaged by spin doctors who are adept at manipulating public opinion.
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Pooi Yin Leong, P. (2019). Conclusion. In: Malaysian Politics in the New Media Age. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8783-8_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8783-8_6
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