My World, My Territory, My Life

This is a really interesting article i found while try to looking for yesterday French F1 Grand Prix result. Just want to share this with all of you....maybe very statistical but good point to answer certain questions after the March GE. Maybe we not agree about this and the accuracy of the finding but for our thought, this is something to fikir2 kan lah.....

By SORAYA JAMAL Bernama - Tuesday, June 17

KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 (Bernama) -- Many Malaysians resorted to reading blogs in the last general election as they considered this latest ‘news channel’ more appealing as compared to the traditional news dissemination avenues like the newspaper and television.

A study conducted on the role and influence of the Internet and bloggers on the Malaysian general election 2008 showed that even though 80 percent of the respondents were aware of their presence, blogs are popular with the middle class and below.

The study ‘Peranan dan Pengaruh Internet dan Kewartawanan Bloggers Terhadap Pengundi Semasa Pilihan Raya Umum Malaysia 2008’ was the effort of Prof Madya Dr Baharuddin Aziz, Dr Rahmat Ghazali and Dr Abd Rasid Abd Rahman from Universiti Teknologi Mara’s (UiTM) Communications and Media Studies Faculty.

The study found that there is no concrete evidence that indicates, by preferring to read blogs would make a person to be opposition-inclined in their stand.

"After making the cross matching, we found that there is no strong evidence that supports the notion that the Internet contents had moved the people to vote for the opposition", Dr Baharuddin told Bernama here recently.

He said many among the newspaper readers and television viewers had also switched to supporting the opposition in the last general election.

"So as with the blog readers, many of them had supported the ruling party", he said.

The one month study also found that banners, posters and pamphlets played a crucial role towards swaying the voters’ sentiment for the opposition.

LINGAM VIDEO CLIP

The study conducted on 1,100 voters in four zones – north (28 percent), south (22 percent), east coast (19 percent) and central (31 percent) utilized the stratified group sampling method.

It found that issues and comments made in blogs from September 2007 had shaped the voters’ inclination towards the opposition.

"It began since September 2007, with the video clip that recorded the conversation between V.K. Lingam with a senior member of the judiciary on the appointments of judges, this is the stage when voters started to sway to the opposition", said Dr Baharuddin.

The Internet and blogs have served a new ‘menu’ for readers as compared to that found in the mainstream media.

Readers preferred blogs as they want something different and 38 percent of the respondents preferred reading blogs as the issues were discussed in a different way, as compared to that in the mainstream media.

"When ministers and politicians hop onto this phenomenon, it means they admit the clout of blogs and online journalism, hence exposing readers to a balanced views and opinions", said Dr Baharuddin.

He said, the authorities need not to ‘over react’ over the presence and contents of blogs, but the comments and feedback should be viewed positively.

BLOG READERS

The study’s field survey was made on polling day where the respondents were 57 percent men and 43 percent women.

Sixty percent of the respondents were below 40 years old.

Blog reading is an urban trend where it is influential among those aged 35 and below.

Almost half of the respondents, at 41.3 percent read blogs in the office while 31.7 percent did it at home.

Forty-four percent said they viewed the blogs two or three times a day while 33 percent of the respondents said they never read blogs.

When asked whether the contents of blogs swayed their choice, 55.2 percent gave the nod with the rest saying ‘no’.

Among the issues considered as hot by the readers were the price hike of petrol and other consumer goods, the Lingam video clip, judiciary and corruption.

As for the breakdown of the voters’ choice, 48.6 percent polled for the opposition while 41.1 percent chose the Barisan Nasional (BN).

Almost 36 percent believed ‘a little bit’ in the contents of blogs, 16.4 percent trusted almost all of the contents while 2.8 percent believed all. As for those who have total doubts, they numbered 4.9 percent.

Among the blogs and websites considered as the readers pick are Malaysiakini.com, Suara Keadilan, SPR, Harakah Online,Berita Harian online, Youtube, Utusan Malaysia online, Malaysia Today, The Star online as well as that posted by news agencies.

CHALLENGES IN FUTURE ELECTION

When asked on the challenges in the future general elections, Dr Baharuddin said the digital media warfare and the preference of the younger generation should be given a serious thought, particularly with the presence of 1.8 ‘fresh’ voters for 2012/2013.

The Mobile TV and hand phone networks also play a major role.

"We cannot deny that the digital divide still exists in the country but we can no longer sweep aside the role of the new media.

"During the Ijok and Machap by-elections, the bloggers were already active but the impact was insignificant, unlike what happened during the 2008 general election", he said.

The ruling party was at the receiving end as it failed to adequately address the issues raised.

"For example, on last Feb 13, the newspapers front-page reports were not only on the dissolution of Parliament but also on the judiciary issues," he said.

Dr Baharuddin said the management of issues was crucial, as a weak approach did not clarify sensitive issues, thus making the public to switch to reading blogs for further clarification, a detrimental effect for the ruling coalition.

Quoting the words of Dr Rahmat Ghazali, a member of those who conducted the study: "When there are too many blogs that have elements of moving towards anarchy, then it is not impossible that one day we would have an anarchic society".

It is worthwhile to reflect on this.