Calls for restraint as 'post-election effect' sees continued hostility online

Calls have arisen for restraint as skirmishes between so-called cybertroopers continue on social media in the wake of the six elections on Aug 12 which resulted in the status quo but saw federal opposition pact Perikatan Nasional (PN) gaining ground in the prize state of Selangor.

Communications expert Shafizan Mohamed said cybertroopers should focus on the issues at hand instead of targeting the image and personality of others. 

Speaking to MalaysiaNow, she said political leaders should set good examples and demand ethical communication from those in their camp. 

"Political leaders set the tone for cybertroopers, who are really following what their political masters are doing," Shafizan, of International Islamic University Malaysia, added.

Nearly two weeks after the Aug 12 polls, temperatures have remained high on some segments of social media over issues such as water quality, development and economic wealth in the three states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah, which were comfortably retained by PN.

In some cases, though, attacks backfired as with attempts to question the citizenship status of influencer DD Chronicle and his application for Selangor's free insurance scheme, Insurans Hayat Selangor or Insan.

This led to the discovery that the personal details of a number of people including their identity card number and home address were used without their consent.

The Insan programme provides coverage of up to RM10,000 and was offered to some six million Selangor residents. 

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said the personal data of residents had been taken from the Election Commission and used to enrol them for the scheme.

He also played down concerns of a data breach, saying the enrolment was a "pre-registration" where individuals would need to activate the insurance policy.

But many said that their policies had already been activated and some even due for expiry. 

Shafizan said that cybertroopers should practise restraint in what they say. 

"You can't get away with everything," she added, referring to the Insan case. 

"This is a unique case where, instead of trying to kill off the opponent's identity, you become something of a whistleblower."

Communications lecturer Abdul Aziz Azizam meanwhile said that the "post-election effect" had seen individuals and groups trapped in continued hostility. 

"People need to understand and be responsible in managing differences in opinion, as these can reflect on the party that they support," he said. 

"There's nothing wrong with having differences in political preference, but obsessive loyalty that crosses the lines of civility is unethical. 

"We can debate in the political sphere, but don't dwell on the personal data of others just because of political ideologies."