In the mid 1990s, a new media Internet was formed leading to the creation of social network of blogsphere. According to a research, political blog is the most patterns of blog used by Malaysian. This post will discuss how Malaysian Bloggers uses blogsphere to create awareness among public and which influences the democracy state in Malaysia.
Malaysian citizens use blog to strengthen their political movement (Sani, 2009, p. 109). Blog serve open participation, communal evaluation concept. This can be seen in the 2008 general election. Many believe that blogs writing is one of the fundamental factors which influence the public which had led to the unprecedented results of the election. In March 25 2008, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi had acknowledged towards the public that Barisan National had lost in the online war. Thus, blog is seen influential because it serves as a democratic tool for the society.
Next is the death of Teoh Beng Hock. In July 2009, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had taken Teoh into custody due to state fund corruption. However, Teoh was found dead the next day. Many readers accessed to their blogs to provide comments and viewpoints. The death of Teoh was widely spread. Citizens had gone for protest appealing for the truth from the government. Due to the enormous discussion through blog, this news had brought up to the Head of State, Agong of Malaysia.
Blogsphere definitely practices produsage and democracy. Citizens are participating actively in the context of political issues. Example ‘Bersih Rally 2011’, which aims to pledge the Malaysian government to ban fraud. With the usage of blog, there were 203,142 members supporting the Bersih organization as of 2011.
Hence, blog has definitely played a vital role in influencing the democracy state in Malaysia.
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- Ayu, MK, Muzliza, M, Pearl, L, Teoh, ES & Aizat, S 2009, ‘Death of Teoh Beng Hock: A mystery waiting to be solved’, The Malay Mail Online, viewed 11 July 2011, <http://www.mmail.com.my/content/8388-death-teoh-beng-hock-mystery-waiting-be-solved>.
- Bryan, DS 2008, Malaysia Elections 2008: Young Voters, Where Art Thou?, Nowpublic, viewed 10 November 2011, < http://www.nowpublic.com/world/malaysia-elections-2008-young-voters-where-art-thou>.
- Hemananthani, S 2011, RCI: Teoh Beng Hock committed suicide, The Malaysian Bar, viewed 12 November 2011, <http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/legal/general_news/rci_teoh_beng_hock_committed_suicide.html>.
- Janet, A 1999, Inventing the Internet, MIT Press, Unites States of America.
- Liz, G 2011, ‘Thousands of Malaysians Rally for Changes to Elections’, New York Times 9 July, p. 8.
- Mohd, AMS 2009, ‘The Emergence of New Politics in Malaysia’, Taiwan Journal of Democracy, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 97-125
- New Straits Times 2008, ‘Internet serve a painful lesson’, 25 March, p. 2.
