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With Malaysia’s fifteenth Common Election probably scheduled for November, many Malaysians are questioning what function ex-prime minister Najib Tun Razak will play in GE15.
To recap, Najib Razak is the primary ex-PM of Malaysia to be convicted of corruption and he’s at the moment serving a 12-year sentence. Regardless of this, his political presence looms giant within the minds of many Malaysians.
The primary query is whether or not he’ll stand once more for his Pekan constituency. Legally, he ought to have the ability to, as he’s making use of for a royal pardon, however many are disputing this. There isn’t any earlier case that one can confer with.
It’s the primary time, that I do know of, the place we’re confronted with such a state of affairs. However the one I’m sure of is that if he’s allowed to face, one of many different Pekan candidates will file a case on the Election Court docket.
Najib’s lengthy shadow
The second greatest query on the thoughts of Malaysians is what function Najib will play in GE15, no matter his candidature. His political shadow is undoubtedly the largest in Malaysia.
All that is due nearly completely to his social media presence. There aren’t any different politicians in Malaysia who even comes near his attain.
In Twitter, he has 4.1 million followers. In Fb, he has 4.6 million followers. In Instagram, it’s near 1 million. Even on TikTok, the hashtag #NajibRazak reveals 35 million views.
One can argue endlessly that a lot of the followers are “pretend” or “purchased”, however in relation to Malaysian politics, that isn’t the way you measure a politician’s social media attain.
The true social media attain in Malaysia shouldn’t be what number of followers you’ve, however how your message is carried in two personal platforms, the WhatsApp and Telegram messaging apps. That is the place the actual “political propaganda” takes place.
There are actually 1000’s and 1000’s of WhatsApp and Telegram teams in Malaysia, and nearly all will carry some form of political meme, or in more moderen time, quick political video clips. Many of those clips are used for TikTok as properly, and if quick sufficient, for Twitter.
I can inform you I’m on many WhatsApp and Telegram teams (too many in actual fact), and I can’t bear in mind a interval the place Najib’s identify doesn’t seem repeatedly.
He instructions such a presence that he even has a moniker on Malaysian social media — Bossku (My Boss). His notorious meme tagline is “Malu Apa Bossku” (translated as: “What are you ashamed of, my Boss?”), written on a poster with an image of Najib using a motorbike.
Should you use the phrase “Bossku” wherever in Malaysia, I assure you most Malaysians would suppose you’re referring to the ex-PM.
That is the way you measure his political affect — much like the phrase “Boris”. Should you use “Boris” within the UK, most individuals will suppose you’re referring to ex-PM Boris Johnson.
Pic from Najib Razak’s Fb web page.
On the floor this sounds loopy, on condition that Najib is a convicted felon and his 1MDB rip-off is recognised as a monetary rip-off in half a dozen international locations, together with the U.S., Switzerland, Singapore and the UK. But in Malaysia, apparently, he has nothing to be “ashamed” about.
In the course of the state elections in Melaka final 12 months and the Johor state elections this 12 months, 1000’s of his followers turned up at each marketing campaign cease he held.
UMNO folks instructed me in no unsure phrases that in relation to pulling the gang, particularly the youthful folks, no different UMNO politician comes near Najib.
Energetic on social media
The Jail Division put out a press launch saying that Najib can’t get particular therapy and thus, is not going to be allowed to exit to marketing campaign. However the horse has already bolted from the cage. Najib formally went in on Aug. 23, however if you happen to take a look at his FB web page and different social media, he’s as lively as ever, with nearly day by day postings.
After all, I’m not saying that he has entry to a smartphone inside, however on the identical time, I discover it arduous to imagine that the postings have been finished with out his data.
It’s true he has a social media group working for him full-time for plenty of years, however additionally it is true that he’s consummate person of social media — he is aware of what works to succeed in to UMNO’s Malay base.
In my thoughts, when the formal marketing campaign interval begins, even with him behind bars, his social media equipment will go into high-gear.
UMNO, like all political events, love solely winners, and there’s little doubt (not less than to me) that Najib is “King” in relation to political social media in Malaysia.
Social media has a observe report of succeeding in campaigns
Should you suppose Malaysians will not be swayed by a felon’s social media posts, suppose once more. Malaysia’s neighbour, the Philippines, elected the son of kleptocrat with a large victory in Could this 12 months.
“Bong Bong” Marcos defended his father, Ferdinand Marcos and his corrupt legacy and the Filipinos went alongside along with his narrative. How is that this attainable? As a result of Bong-Bong Marcos had the perfect social media military within the Philippines.
My Filipino associates inform me social media received the elections for Bong-Bong. No different clarification is required.
So these Malaysians who suppose the Najib issue was decapitated by his jailing are in for a impolite shock. I’ve little question Najib will retain his standing because the “five-star normal” of UMNO’s cyber military.
UMNO can’t do with out Najib’s social media and Najib wants UMNO to win huge in order that his case could be kautim (sorted out) after the elections. Najib will not be bodily on the marketing campaign path, however his social media imprint will likely be on all the things UMNO does.
The one query I’ve is that this: Can Najib repeat the efficiency of Bong-Bong Marcos?
High picture by Zahim Mohd/NurPhoto through Getty Photos
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