KUALA LUMPUR – Social media personalities have become increasingly prominent in shaping the country’s political narratives since the 15th General Election (GE15), a study by the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) has revealed.
The report, “Political Influencers in Malaysia: Growth, Methods and Policy Implications”, drew on 27 interviews conducted between July and September 2025 with influencers, political operatives, industry intermediaries and experts. It focused mainly on micro-influencers with follower ranges between 10,000 and 100,000 – a segment described as the most active in political outreach.
The study found that political influencing has evolved into a structured commercial ecosystem involving Public Relations (PR) firms, influencer agencies and talent managers who coordinate campaigns, negotiate fees, and manage production schedules. These intermediaries often keep influencers and political actors separated, which can obscure funding sources.
Through the study, IDEAS identified three broad types of political influencers. The first is transitory influencers who participate occasionally, often when approached for paid campaign. The second type is partisan influencers who consistently support their political camp, while a third group, identified as Janus, presents themselves as neutral or educational while maintaining ties with political clients.
Interviewees spoke to the researchers about payments ranging from a few hundred to several thousand ringgit per post, with major campaigns commanding higher sums.
Under pressure
The report noted that influencers operate under two strong pressures – from financiers who commission political content, to algorithms that reward relatability, high engagement and provocative material. As such, the influencers prefer platforms like TikTok, which deliver short-form content to a wide audience.
“The report shows a growing pivot by government and political party machinery toward the use of influencers in disseminating information, with money moving invisibly and leaving the public to decipher what is authentic and what is disingenuous,” said Sabrina Firdaus Aloysius, co-author of the report and Senior Executive of Research at IDEAS.
Dr Ross Tapsell, also co-author of the report, added, “The influencer economy is a growing form of media buy and increasingly used for political campaigning, but very little is known about their financial models, and payment is rarely declared. Transparency and accountability are crucial to Malaysia’s democratic reforms. Citizens deserve to know who is paying for content that shapes their political choices,” he said.
IDEAS CEO Aira Azhari said stricter rules are needed to support public confidence. “Transparency in political financing is essential if we want to safeguard public trust and strengthen Malaysia’s democratic integrity,” she said.
The report recommends clearer disclosure requirements, accountability standards for political content creators and expanded community-level digital literacy initiatives.– December 9, 2025