Political communication and election campaigning on Instagram during the 14th Malaysian General Election

• Main Authors: Abdul Manan, Kamaruzzaman, Mohamed, Shafizan, Mat Yakim, Muhamad
• Format: Article
• Language: English; English; English
• Published: IIUM Press, International Islamic University Malaysia 2020
• Subjects: H61.8 Communication of information; HM831 Social change; JQ719 Elections in Malaysia; T173.2 Technological change
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/86916/1/86916_Political%20Communication%20and%20Election.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/86916/7/86916_Political%20communication%20and%20election_scopus.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/86916/8/86916_Political%20communication%20and%20election_wos.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/86916/; https://journals.iium.edu.my/intdiscourse/index.php/id/article/view/1660/942

Researching Instagram as a tool in political communication is a relatively new phenomenon since the platform only began to operate in 2010. However due to its increasing popularity, it is definitely time for more studies to be conducted. World leaders are becoming very prominent on Instagram. They are sharing both personal and political contents and are challenging the usually formal and beurecratic nature of political communication. Therefore this study attempts to explore how Instagram affects political communication by focusing on how several Malaysian politicians used Instagram as part of their communication and campaign during the 14th general election that was held on May 8th , 2018. Coding analysis was done on the Instagram posts of 8 prominent Malaysian politicians. The results showed that these politicians were very active on Instagram and have extensively used Instagram to campaign during the election thus verifying that Instagram is indeed a vital medium for political communication.***************************************************************************************************************************************** Kajian Instagram sebagai alat komunikasi politik adalah fenomena yang agak baru kerana platform media sosail ini baru mula beroperasi pada tahun 2010. Namun, kerana populariti penggunaannya yang semakin meningkat dalam kalangan ahli politik, telah menjadi faktor kajian-kajian politik menggunakan media sosial ini giat dijalankan. Ramai pemimpin dunia telah menjadi sangat terkenal di Instagram. Mereka berkongsi kandungan aktiviti peribadi dan politik. Ini merupakan suatu norma baharu dalam komunikasi politik biasa yang bersifat formal dan birokratik. Oleh itu kajian ini cuba meneroka bagaimana Instagram mempengaruhi komunikasi politik di Malaysia. Tinjauan memfokuskan bagaimana beberapa ahli politik menggunakan Instagram untuk berkomunikasi dan berkempen semasa pilihan raya umum Malaysia ke-14 yang diadakan pada 8 Mei 2018. Analisis pengekodan dilakukan pada posting Instagram 8 ahli politik terkemuka di Malaysia. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa ahli politik ini sangat aktif di Instagram menggunakan media sosial ini untuk berkempen semasa pilihan raya. Kajian ini turut mengesahkan bahawa Instagram sememangnya merupakan media sosial yang penting dalam komunikasi politik.