The Emergence of a New Social Movement in Malaysia: A Case Study of Malaysian Youth Activism

Abstract

Much has been written about the emergence of new political dynamics in Malaysia since the watershed 2008 general election. This commentary has focused on the growing role of social movements, the significance of social media, and the form and values of what has been labelled the ‘new politics’. This chapter suggests that there is a gap in the understanding of contemporary youth activism as it contributes to political competition and discourse. Even though there are some studies acknowledging the role of young people in street protests, social media advocacy and cultural activism, few really focus on the youth as their prime subject matter and fewer still deal with youth activism outside formal politics. This chapter examines the actual and potential impact of youth activism on Malaysia’s long-standing consociational politics. The discussion suggests that contemporary political postures and forms of advocacy of young people have to be understood in relation to the long-term process of depoliticisation that has taken place since the 1970s. This depoliticisation was certainly the result of restrictive laws that limited the avenues open to youth activism, both within and beyond student campuses. Concerted calls for Reformasi from 1998 onwards, as well as demands for electoral reform orchestrated by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) since 2007 and the high degree of internet penetration have combined to rekindle the salience of youth activism. This has resulted in attempts by mainstream political parties to highlight youth issues and to encourage their participation in formal politics, with mixed results. The argument contends that recent forms and patterns of youth advocacy differ from those of the 1970s in terms of ideologies, networking and impact on politics in general.