PENGLIBATAN BELIA DALAM PILIHANRAYA UMUM KE-15 DI MALAYSIA: BENTUK DAN INSENTIF
Youth Political Activism in the Malaysia 15th General Election: Forms and Incentives
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37231/apj.2025.8.2.862Abstract
Abstract: In the lead-up to the 15th general election, political observers predicted low electoral turnouts among youth, particularly within the 18-24 age cohort, attributed to a pervasive sense of political fatigue borne from unrestrained political and economic developments between 2018 and 2022. The perception of politics as corrupted and politicians as insincere had ostensibly alienated young voters. Contravening these expectations, not only did young voters exhibit high turnout rates in the 15th general election, but they also actively participated in vote canvassing, challenging the narrative of youth disengagement. This study, anchored in the General Incentives Model (GIM), draws on in-depth interviews with 16 youth party activists to explore the motives behind their distinct engagement and the incentives they received when participating in politics. It uncovers that young activists leveraged TikTok to create impactful campaign content that not only addressed criticisms of their parties but also cast a spotlight on the failings of their adversaries, reaching a broad audience without the expectation of material compensation. Their involvement was driven by a blend of collective and expressive incentives, marking a difference in both form and motivation from older activists. This investigation into the resurgence of youth participation offers critical insights into the changing landscape of political engagement, underscoring the strategies and motivations propelling young voters to the forefront of electoral politics.
Keywords: Party Activists, Youth, PAS, UMNO, Political Participation, Tik Tok, 15th General Election
Abstrak: Menjelang Pilihan Raya Umum ke-15 (PRU15), pemerhati politik meramalkan kadar keluar mengundi yang rendah dalam kalangan belia, khususnya bagi kumpulan pengundi berusia 18 hingga 24 tahun. Jangkaan ini berpunca daripada keletihan politik akibat ketidakstabilan politik dan ekonomi yang berlarutan tanpa kawalan dalam tempoh 2018 hingga 2022. Persepsi bahawa politik itu korup dan ahli politik bersifat gila kuasa telah menjauhkan golongan muda daripada politik. Namun, bertentangan dengan ramalan tersebut, belia bukan sahaja mencatatkan kadar keluar mengundi yang tinggi dalam PRU15, mereka turut terlibat aktif dalam kempen pilihanraya, sekali gus mencabar naratif bahawa golongan muda bersikap apati terhadap politik. Berteraskan Model Insentif Umum, kajian ini menemubual 16 aktivis muda parti politik bagi meneroka bentuk-bentuk penglibatan serta insentif yang diterima daripada penyertaan mereka dalam proses politik dan demokrasi. Kajian ini mendapati bahawa aktivis muda yang didorong oleh faktor keluarga telah memanfaatkan TikTok sebagai platfom utama untuk menghasilkan kandungan kempen yang berimpak tinggi. Mereka bukan sahaja menggunakan media ini untuk menjawab kritikan terhadap parti yang disokong, malah turut mendedahkan sisi buruk lawan politik mereka, sekali gus menyebarkan mesej kepada khalayak dengan penuh kreativiti. Apa yang lebih signifikan, keterlibatan mereka tidak didorong oleh ganjaran material, tetapi berpaksikan insentif kolektif dan ekspresif. Penemuan ini menunjukkan perbezaan ketara dari segi motivasi penglibatan politik belia berbanding aktivis parti yang lebih berusia.
Kata kunci: Aktivis Parti; Belia; PAS; UMNO; Partisipasi Politik; Tik Tok; Pilihan Raya Umum ke-15
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