SEARCH Journal of Media and Communication Research Newcomers in politics: A thematic analysis of 2023 Malaysian State Election candidates' TikTok content

Full text

* Corresponding author
SEARCH Journal of Media and Communication Research
Online ISSN: 2672-7080
© SEARCH Journal 2024
SEARCH 16(2), 2024, 83–100
DOI: 10.58946/search-16.2-P4
https://fslmjournals.taylors.edu.my/search/
Newcomers in politics: A thematic
analysis of 2023 Malaysian State
Election candidates’ TikTok content
* Mohd Pirdaus Mat Husain
UCYP University, Malaysia
pirdaus@ucyp.edu.my
Ali Salman
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), Malaysia
Mohd Nor Shahizan Ali
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Malaysia
Khairunnisa Mohad Khazin
UCYP University, Malaysia
ABSTRACT
In Malaysia, the 2023 State Election was held on August 12, 2023. This election only involved six states,
namely Selangor, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan, and Penang. It also had a large
number of candidates from different backgrounds. Among them were new candidates nominated by
their respective parties. New candidates are also known as a “political newcomers”. These newcomers
were of various backgrounds, including artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, and academicians. All of them
presented distinctive manifestos and viewpoints that was shared on social media. In this context, this
research aims to examine the content uploaded by four different newcomers in their personal social
media account, which is TikTok. A total of 173 uploaded contents were analysed utilising descriptive
analysis and thematic analysis. Based on the analysis, six different themes emerged reflecting the
political newcomers’ background including education, social welfare, economy, health and sports,
corruption, and safety/security. Three major themes: education, social welfare, and health & sports
stood out as the most significant and relevant to research objectives, highlighting the issues that
resonate most with voters. The study underscores the significance of social media, particularly TikTok,
as a powerful tool for disseminating content on critical national issues. By focusing on education,
social welfare, and health & sports, political newcomers tapped into the concerns and aspirations of
the electorate, in the hopes of gaining their support and eventual votes.
Keywords: Malaysia election, politics, TikTok, social media, political newcomers

Newcomers in politics: A thematic analysis of 2023 Malaysian State Election candidates’ TikTok content
84
INTRODUCTION
During election campaigns, political candidates will engage with potential voters and
supporters in order to gain support and trust (Tumasjan et al., 2010). However, before
sharing their messages with voters, for example on social media, political parties and
political candidates must clearly craft their ideas and content. This increases the assortment
of topics and issues related to their campaign for newcomers in politics. Newcomers are
considered inexperienced new candidates of various backgrounds such as athletes, artists,
academicians, and businessmen. For the 2023 State Election in Malaysia, 110 newcomers
were selected as candidates to represent their political parties.
Each of these newcomers developed their individual manifesto. A manifesto is a
public proclamation of one’s ideas, ideals, goals, and intentions. It denes one’s future
vision, the improvements they wish to see, and the values they espouse. Depending on
the circumstances, these manifestos might address a wide range of issues. For example,
manifestos for political newcomers may include policy suggestions, governance goals, and
basic principles that inuence their decision-making.
Social media is one of the most essential platforms that newcomers may utilise to
communicate their manifestos. The signicant impact of social media on political campaigns
throughout the world is undeniable. As of April 2024, there were 5.44 billion internet
users worldwide, which amounted to 67.1% of the global population. Of this total, 5.07
billion, or 62.6% of the world’s population, were social media users (Petrosyan, 2024).
With their rapid expansion, social media platforms have become an essential component
of today’s political campaigns. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, including newer ones like
TikTok, have altered the way election campaigns are run, how politicians and the general
public access political content, as well as how we learn about politics, form opinions and
attitudes, and ultimately engage or disengage in the electoral process as a whole.
Candidates can nurture relationships with their constituents through Facebook,
Twitter, and YouTube, which will increase engagement in their campaigns. Each candidate’s
campaign is meticulously devised to reach their audience and put the candidate and party
in the best possible light.
Communication technology has changed the landscape of global politics in recent
years. Political parties and candidates are increasingly using social media to gain public
support. Recently, there has been a signicant growth in the number of political parties
and political candidates using social media, and it has become an essential aspect of
today’s political landscape. The media’s function in the modern era has changed to meet
a variety of goals. In the past, the media was used as a powerful tool to instil nationalism
in Malaysia’s multicultural populace. The media’s job has grown to include many other
functions that benet the welfare of the people these days. According to Chan-Olmsted
(2006), media companies carefully analyse a number of factors before determining the
patterns of media usage.
The integration of communication technology, particularly social media, into
the political arena has reshaped the methods by which political parties and candidates
engage with the public. The evolving role of media, both traditional and digital, reects
a broader shift towards more dynamic, interactive, and multifaceted approaches to
political communication and public engagement. This transformation underscores the
importance of adapting to new technologies and strategies to effectively navigate the
contemporary political landscape.
According to Okan et al. (2014), social networking has become signicant among
political parties and political candidates to obtain more support and feedback, discuss
ideas and opinions, and participate in public debates. Many scholars have studied the use

SEARCH 16(2), 2024
85
of the Internet for political communication purposes (Blumler & Kavanagh, 1999; Hill
& Hughes, 1998; Jones, 1998; Lev-On, 2011; Lilleker & Jackson, 2010; Livingstone, 1999;
McChesney, 2000; Mcnamara, 2008; Norris, 2001; Schweitzer, 2008; Towner & Dulio,
2012; Vaccari, 2008).
Indeed, the emergence of social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and
Twitter ushered in a new era of political communication (Bimber & Davis, 2003; Carpenter,
2010). Since then, politicians throughout the world have continued to capitalise on new
opportunities provided by Web 2.0 applications, launching new campaigning methods,
forms of funding, mobilisation, and data collection.
This research aims to explore the content uploaded by four political newcomers
in their TikTok account during the 2023 Malaysian State Election. The ndings will
hopefully provide a better understanding of trends in the use of social media such as
TikTok and the main elements of the content communicated by political newcomers.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
The research objective is to explore the key themes and issues emphasised by political
newcomers in their TikTok content during the 2023 Malaysian State Election.
POLITICS IN MALAYSIA
Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy that practices parliamentary democracy. Although
it is a legally democratic country, certain political and public liberties are limited. Individuals
in Malaysia have the option of choosing their representatives through elections once every
four or ve years, according to the Malaysian Federal Constitution (Hamat et al., al 2012).
Based on the results of the 2023 General Elections and State Elections, there is a positive
trend of social media usage as well as strong indications that politicians and voters are
both inuenced by social media.
With the strong inuence of social media on politics, economy, personal life, and
almost every other aspect, and its rapid expansion, it is difcult to predict its widespread
effect on the world (Ashraf, 2022). To survive, political parties have swiftly embraced
modern technology and capitalised it. Platforms for interaction, such as Facebook and
Twitter, are increasingly utilised, particularly among political personalities (McNair,
2012). Tan and Firdaus (2023) also described that political literacy is deemed a precious
commodity in the political process given that it is the substance of a healthy, functioning
democracy.
The way that Malaysians vote today is inuenced by the new media (online) to a
large extent. Apart from political parties and politicians using the new media to highlight
a lot of issues, the general society also relies on the new media to understand and keep
abreast about issues and information related to politics. Politics-related topics are very
popular in the new media, particularly blogs. Although the new media serves as a platform
for the expression of ideas and opinions, it may also incite anti-government sentiments
and damage the harmony of Malaysia’s plural society. Additionally, content or postings
that have not been screened or edited appropriately to take sensitive matters into consideration
can potentially incite resentment among readers.
In general, social media allows individuals to interact, share information, and
participate in public dialogue (Donath & Boyd, 2004; Ellison et al., 2007). This leads to
greater and more regular public involvement in political participation and interaction

Newcomers in politics: A thematic analysis of 2023 Malaysian State Election candidates’ TikTok content
86
(Kruikemeier et al., 2013). Carlos et al. (2022) also contended the unprecedented global
social media usage has been effective in tearing down traditional boundaries in a number
of areas, including politics.
Parties in Malaysia such as UMNO, PAS, DAP, KEADILAN, and AMANAH have
their own social media campaigns, which are vital in gaining support from voters. Some
of the strategic advantages that parties have identied when pursuing online strategies
include the use of social networking to help them bond, engage with their supporters,
collect money, and exercise inuence on the news agenda (Johnson & Johnson, 2011).
Candidates in political campaigns view social media strategically. Political participation is
most typically accomplished through social networking, as well as editorial or face-to-face
media. When elections approach, each party will rally its supporters and race to gain the
support of those who are still undecided (Karlsen, 2009).
The use of social media in politics and election for information
dissemination
It is impossible to deny that social media has an enormous effect on delivering information
to voters, particularly during the election season. Social media has become an essential
tool in politics and is widely employed in political and electoral campaigns. The new
media has become more potent than ever before, thanks to the rapid expansion of cutting-
edge technology. As mobile devices like smartphones provide seamless dissemination of
information, they have become a crucial tool for people to access news, regardless of
location. According to Newman et al. (2017), 46% of smartphone users read news content
in bed, instead of going to work. The rise of social media in politics has been particularly
notable. Political parties and candidates are increasingly leveraging these platforms to
disseminate information, mobilise supporters, and inuence public opinion. The interactive
nature of social media also allows for direct communication between politicians and voters,
bypassing traditional media gatekeepers.
The use of social media in the political environment has a substantial inuence on not
only political organisations and candidates, but also on the general population. According
to Tan and Firdaus (2023), political information is deemed a precious commodity in the
political process given that it is the substance of a healthy, functioning democracy. This
can be attributed to social media which allows a two-way engagement and interaction
between political organisations and candidates and the public. For example, social media
proved to be an critical determinant in President Barack Obama’s election campaign in
2008 (Tumasjan et al., 2010).
Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are highly effective in
transmitting the ideas and views of the Presidential candidates on major issues such as
economic challenges, national security, and many others. In another study, Sauyyan (2017)
discovered that, in 2016, President Donald Trump used social media platforms such as
Twitter and Facebook more than YouTube to promote his political propaganda. However,
in recent times, it appears that TikTok has overtaken the other social media platforms and
remains the fastest growing platform.
According to Mohamad Yusuf et al. (2022), social media has become prevalent
and inuential, especially among the youth, as seen in the recent Malaysian 15th General
Election. Despite the clear evidence of social media’s inuence, the full extent of its impact
on politics is yet to be fully unravelled. Given that the younger generation is the most active
on social media, it is crucial to comprehend why they rely on these platforms for political
information and how this reliance shapes their political views and behaviours.

SEARCH 16(2), 2024
87
TikTok
Over the past few years, following TikTok’s inception, there has been a sharp surge in
usage amongst teenagers. Young political newcomers in particular, also use them primarily
with the aim of boosting their popularity and delivering their opinions and manifestos.
Short-form video pertains to any video with a duration of less than 60 seconds.
Short-form videos are highly appealing for lots of individuals, particularly the younger
demographics, because of the availability of multiple lters and editing tools, the ability
to “stitch” together contents created by other users, and the option to incorporate diverse
sounds and music (Montenegro, 2021). TikTok is widely regarded as one of the most
popular social media applications for short-form content (Potrel, 2022). TikTok, created
by its Chinese parent company ByteDance in 2016, has undergone various stages of
political content moderation and restriction techniques (Wells et al., 2020). It was created
by the creators of the app Musical.ly. TikTok, also known as Douyin in China, debuted in
September 2016 and is run by ByteDance. ByteDance has maintained both versions of the
app since then (Abidin, 2021).
During the 2020 United States presidential election, TikTok became a popular
social media platform, drawing politicians from the wide political spectrum looking to
engage with people. According to Hong and Kim (2016), social media has steadily become
a compelling force in the political arena in recent years. Politicians increasingly rely on
social media to communicate with their supporters. Today, TikTok has taken over televisual
ow, supplanting a movie or lengthy video with an endless scrollable series of small movies
(Kendall, 2021). Scrolling is accompanied by an interaction that optimises diversion and
minimises boredom to produce a singularly alluring user experience.
Today, TikTok is widely used by politicians and their communication teams to build
trust with potential voters. Previously, politicians depended heavily on existing social media
platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Google, and YouTube. TikTok, is now the most recent
addition to their social media toolset for building enduring relationships with prospective
voters. Due to TikTok’s predominantly young user base, politicians are eager to utilise the app
as a means to engage with young voters and win them over. For instance, while Trump heavily
relied on Twitter and Facebook for his campaigns in 2016 and 2020, Biden opted for TikTok,
Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat to target the younger demographics (Alter, 2020).
Medina Serrano et al. (2020) studied a collection of TikTok political videos from
the United States’ Republican and Democratic parties in order to explore how users
interacted with one another in regard to political problems and assess political
communication on TikTok. The study found that political communication was much more
prevalent on TikTok compared to the other social media platforms. They also discovered
that supporters from both political parties in the United States are young and behave
similarly on the site. Republican candidates published more political content with numerous
answers, while Democratic candidates participated in more cross-party dialogues.
Cervi et al. (2021) investigated if and how Spanish political parties utilise TikTok
in their political communication, by analysing the content published by Spain’s ve major
political parties. They concluded that while TikTok is popular across the world, Spanish
political parties do not fully utilise the platform’s advantages, but instead use it as a one-
way communication medium. The most popular posts were those that were participatory
and focused on political entertainment.
Political propaganda
Over the years, political propaganda has been widely disseminated through various media
platforms including new and conventional media, social media, television, radio, and print

Newcomers in politics: A thematic analysis of 2023 Malaysian State Election candidates’ TikTok content
88
material. Almost all political parties have made use of media channels, in some way or other,
to deliver political propaganda messages to voters, particularly during political campaign
periods. According to Farkas and Neumayer (2018), propaganda is inextricably linked to
media channels such as radio, television, lm, and newspapers. Interestingly, propaganda
is considered as a uniquely modern phenomenon interwoven with mass communication
channels in the twentieth century.
The rise of propaganda in the context of digital media has necessitated a new
understanding of the relationship between propaganda and new media (Auerbach &
Castronovo, 2013; Jowett & O’Donnell, 2012). The introduction of social bots on digital
media platforms, for example, introduced novel forms of propaganda (Shao et al.,
2017). According to Montag et al. (2021), in their efforts to connect with the vital youth
demographic, politicians acknowledge the importance of diversifying their communication
channels. The inclusion of TikTok and WhatsApp reects an acknowledgment of the
evolving social media landscape and the preferences of younger voters. This multi-platform
approach underscores the dynamic nature of political engagement in the digital age, as
candidates seek to leverage a variety of online spaces to effectively convey their messages
and engage with the diverse interests of rst-time voters. However, the potential of digital
media for decentralised communication should not be equated with a fundamental
democratisation of knowledge, transcending current power relations and control.
According to Herman and Chomsky (2008), the rise of digital media constitutes
a critical new form of communication for political movements around the world. Certain
political parties have used the media to deliver political propaganda messages to voters,
particularly before elections or during campaign periods. In addition, mass media is also
utilised to manage controversial issues, convey the image of a political personality, and
communicate the manifestos of the candidates with the aim of engaging viewers, especially
potential voters. Propaganda is not a new phenomenon in industrialised countries.
Propaganda, in particular, causes divisions among society’s many classes. In the
arena of politics, Amila (2020) argued that the media is a weapon for propaganda rather
than information. Information is power, referring to the ability to predict what happens
next. Mohd Isa et al. (2022) cautioned that if political parties fail to embrace social media,
a crucial tool deeply embedded in the lives of today’s millennials, they risk falling behind
in promoting their ideas, campaign materials, and manifestos.
METHOD
The study employed a qualitative content analysis method (thematic analysis) to
understand the key themes and issues emphasised by political newcomers in their TikTok
content. Content analysis can be briey dened as the systematic (based on scientic
criteria), quantitative or qualitative analysis of the characteristics of various messages
(Berelson, 1971; Kiriazi, 2001; Neuendorf, 2002).
Qualitative data analysis is distinguished by the “merging of analysis and
interpretation, and frequently by the merging of data collection with data analysis” (Cohen
et al., 2011, p. 461), and thematic analysis serves as a distinguishing tool. According to
Saldana (2015), despite the fact that thematic analysis originally surfaced as a data analytic
method in the 1970s, it was not generally employed until Boyatsis established precise
standards and principles for “Coding and Theme Development”. Jnanathapaswi (2021)
explained that thematic analysis helps researchers analyse a large range of data sets to nd
patterns and develop themes.

SEARCH 16(2), 2024
89
In other words, thematic analysis constitutes a systematic, reproducible technique
of transforming words into fewer categories of meaning, based on specic codication
rules (Miller & Brewer, 2003; Stemler, 2001), allowing researchers to examine big amounts
of data through a systematic methodology (Poulakidakos & Armenakis, 2014). All the
analyses were conducted using the Atlas Ti software to identify the main political themes
found in the selected candidates’ TikTok accounts.
Data collection
Before data collection, specic parameters were discussed and agreed upon by the research
team to dene the dataset. The data for this study comprised TikTok postings by four
political newcomers throughout the campaigning period of July 31 to August 11, 2023. A
total of 214 TikTok videos were collected from the political newcomers’ TikTok personal
accounts. Of these, 41 were found not suitable and removed. The remaining 173 videos
were deemed t for analysis. The dataset comprised of video graphics, audio, subtitles, and
hashtags. For each video, basic information such as date posted, date saved, video length,
number of likes, comments, and shares were gathered and catalogued.
Total TikTok videos used
in the studies
(n=173)
Videos downloaded from
TikTok
(n=214)
Total rejected
videos found not
suitable for the
study
(n=41)
Figure 1. Selection process of TikTok videos
Thematic analysis
The researchers conducted a thematic analysis to identify the main themes featured in
the videos of the political newcomers. Thematic analysis is a constant-comparative
method that involves reading and rereading of transcripts systematically to identify
common themes and then categorising them accordingly. To maintain the necessary
rigor in the analysis, the study adopted the six-phase process as proposed by Braun and
Clarke (2006) (Figure 1).

Newcomers in politics: A thematic analysis of 2023 Malaysian State Election candidates’ TikTok content
90
Familiarisation with the data
Writing up
Generating initial themes
Reviewing themesDefining themes
Coding
Figure 2. The six-phase process of thematic analysis (Clark & Braun, 2006)
FINDINGS
To meet the objective of this research, the thematic analysis focused on data such as types
of video content and elements of messages to potential voters. As stated earlier, TikTok
videos served as the primary unit of analysis. From a total of 173 videos collected from
four political contenders’ TikTok accounts, the analysis identied six themes: education,
social welfare, economy, health and sports, corruption, and safety/security. The frequency
of the themes in the videos of the political newcomers are presented in Tables 1 – 4 while
Table 5 shows the overall breakdown. Three themes with the highest frequencies will be
discussed next.
Table 1. Themes identied in the TikTok videos of PN1 (political newcomer 1)
Themes identied
Education Social welfare Economy Health &
sports
Corruption Safety/
Security
PN1 V2, V3, V4, V6 V7,
V16, V22, V23,
V24, V33, V34,
V37, V38, V39,
V41, V42, V51,
V52, V53,V54, V65,
V66, V67, V69,
V74, V75, V76, V80
V5, V13, V14,
V15, V17, V18,
V28, V32, V40,
V43, V50, V55,
V63, V64, V68,
V73, V77, V79
V1, V2, V19,
29, V35,
V44, V49,
56, V61,
V62, V70,
V72
V6, V11,
V12, V20,
V21, V30,
V31, V36,
V45, V46,
V57, V58,
V60, V71,
V78
V7, V10,
V25, V47,
V59
V8, V9,
V26, V27,
V48, V81
Note: V# refers to video number
Table 2. Themes identied in the TikTok videos of PN2 (political newcomer 2)
Themes identied
Education Social welfare Economy Health &
sports
Corruption Safety/
Security
PN2 V9,16 V1, V2, V6, V7, V10, V11,
V15, V16, V17, V19, V20
V3, V8,
V12, V18
V14 V4, V5,
V13

SEARCH 16(2), 2024
91
Table 3. Themes identied in the TikTok videos of PN3 (political newcomer 3)
Themes identied
Education Social welfare Economy Health & sports Corruption Safety/
Security
PN3 V4, V14,
V22, V28,
V42
V1, V2, V9,
V12,V 17, V21,
V26, V30, V33,
V38, V40, V44
V3, V8,
V34
V5, V6, V10, V11,
V13, V16, V18, V19,
V20, V24, V25, V29,
V31, V32, V36, V37,
V39, V42, V43
V23, V35 V7, V15,
V27
Table 4. Themes identied in the TikTok videos of PN4 (political newcomer 4)
Themes identied
Education Social welfare Economy Health & sports Corruption Safety/
Security
PN4 V3, V4, V6, V7,
V9, V10, V11,
V16, V18, V19
V8, V12, V13, V14,
V15, V20, V21,
V22, V25
V2, V17,
V23, V24
V1, V5
Table 5. Themes identied in TikTok videos (by frequency and percentage)
Theme Frequency Percentage (%)
Education 35 20
Social welfare 50 29
Economy 19 11
Health & sports 44 26
Corruption 14 8
Safety / Security 11 6
Social welfare
Based on the analysis, social welfare is the most dominant theme, with a frequency of 29%.
Political newcomer 1 (PN 1) posted a total of 18 (31%) videos concentrating on social
welfare issues, followed by political newcomer 3 (PN 3) with 14 videos (24%), political
newcomer 2 (PN 2) with 11 videos (19%) and lastly, political newcomer (PN 4) with 10
videos (17%). Skidmore (1971) dened social welfare as any attempt to modify or enhance
a wealthy position, both physically, psychologically, and socially.
On another note, Weinberg (1970) dened social welfare as “helping activities or
government social programs for poor communities.” In the context of poverty, social
welfare must be seen from the economic and social standpoint in terms of income, property,
services, and the underlying causes of poverty. Garland (2016) and Midgley (2016) agreed
in unison that social welfare in itself is a political creature because someone either benets
or loses in its cause, making politicians cautious in making related commitments.
Politicians care about social welfare since it is the key topic that becomes a top
priority that is hotly debated during elections. As a result, planning and implementing
programmes or strategies that support the well-being of the people should be prioritised
to maintain the country’s peace and stability.
In this regard, “social welfare” was also the primary concern of the political
newcomers in their electoral campaigns, as reected by the TikTok videos they had
posted. Social welfare is a predominant theme or issue for voters during elections because
it concerns their “bread and butter” issue and quality of life. This is also exemplied

Newcomers in politics: A thematic analysis of 2023 Malaysian State Election candidates’ TikTok content
92
in government budgeting as it had committed about RM90 billion for the country’s
economic stimulation, which indirectly improves the general public’s quality of life
(Bernama, 2021).
Figure 3. Video excerpts that reect the social welfare theme
Health and sports
Health and sports was the second highest dominant theme that emerged from the analysis
with a total of 44 videos (26%). Political newcomer 3 (PN 3) posted a total of 19 (43%)
videos concentrating on health and sports, followed by political newcomer 1 (PN 1) with
15 videos (34%), political newcomer 4 (PN 4) with 9 videos (20%), and lastly, political
newcomer 2 (PN 2) with only 1 video (2%).
A possible reason for the highest number of posting from political newcomer 3 (PN
3) on this particular theme, could be his background, which revolves around football. This
appears to inuence the type of videos posted on TikTok. This nding also aligns with
Davies et al. (2012) who contended that online social media platforms possess signicant
potential for public health initiatives due to various factors.

SEARCH 16(2), 2024
93
Multiple studies have demonstrated the potential of social media as a means of
health interventions, access to and connection with supportive social circles, discussion
of emotions, promotion of healthy behaviour change and counselling, health campaigns,
medical education, monitoring of disease outbreaks, health research, and other health-
related purposes. Abroms (2019) added to the growing body of research by highlighting
social media’s potential for various health interventions, including building support
networks, managing emotions, promoting healthy behaviours, and facilitating education
and research.
The political newcomers may have perceived health and sports as a main issue
during the election campaigns to give them an advantage, due to the age of their voters.
This suggests that the electoral demographic is often used as a guide in selecting topics
for video content in political communication. Aside from that, another mainstay of the
uploaded video content is the representation of the multiracial community in this country.
Figure 4. Video excerpts that reect the health and sports theme
Education
A person’s education is a crucial aspect that opens up plenty of opportunities and paves
the way for future success. Idris et al. (2012) stated that education plays a crucial part
in creating the future generation that is capable of addressing and resolving the pressing
issues facing our society.

Newcomers in politics: A thematic analysis of 2023 Malaysian State Election candidates’ TikTok content
94
Many political candidates choose education as the primary focus of their electoral
campaigns, similar to the political newcomers selected for this study. Political newcomer
1 (PN 1) posted a total of 28 (80%) videos related to educational content. This is due to
the candidate’s background as an academician. Other than that, political newcomer 3 (PN
3) posted a total of 5 (14%) videos while political newcomer 2 (PN 2) only posted 2 (6%)
videos with content related to education.
Figure 5. Video excerpts that reect the education theme
Overall, ndings demonstrate that new media such as TikTok is widely used as a
medium to provide awareness and information on critical issues to the community, as part
of political campaigns.
CONCLUSION
Study implications
In conclusion, this study signicantly enhances our understanding of the dynamics
involving political newcomers and their impact on elections, specically through the lens
of political communication on social media platforms like TikTok. The study focused

SEARCH 16(2), 2024
95
on the 2023 Malaysian State Election and involved an in-depth thematic analysis of the
TikTok videos uploaded by four political newcomers. Findings revealed six key themes
that were prominently featured in the videos: social welfare, health & sports, education,
economy, corruption, as well as safety and security. These themes are crucial as they reect
the primary concerns and interests of the electorate, highlighting the issues that resonate
most deeply with voters. The prominence of these themes in the TikTok videos posted by
political newcomers indicates their strategic efforts to align their messages with the public’s
priorities. This alignment not only helps in gaining voter attention but also in building a
connection with the electorate based on shared concerns and aspirations.
The three predominant themes were education, social welfare, and health &
sports. These topics were not only central to the newcomers’ campaign strategies but
also resonated strongly with voters, reecting their top concerns and hopes. The study
highlights the critical role that social media, particularly TikTok, plays in modern political
communication. By leveraging these platforms, newcomers were able to effectively engage
with the electorate and address the issues that matter the most to them. The emphasis on
education, social welfare, and health & sports indicates that these areas are key priorities
for both candidates and voters. Overall, this study demonstrates the power of social media
as a tool for sharing important national issues and shaping political discourse. Political
newcomers can successfully use these platforms to connect with the public and advocate
for the changes that voters want to see.
The study also underscores the critical role of social media in shaping political
narratives and inuencing voter sentiments. TikTok, with its unique format and widespread
popularity, serves as an effective platform for political newcomers to frame their messages
and engage with a broad audience. The thematic patterns uncovered in this research
provide valuable insights into the strategic communication efforts of these new candidates,
illustrating how they use TikTok to craft and convey their political messages. The use of
ATLAS.ti 8 for thematic analysis allowed for a detailed analysis of the content uploaded,
revealing the specic characteristics and strategies employed by political newcomers.
This methodological approach ensured that the analysis was thorough and provided a
comprehensive understanding of the themes present in the TikTok content.
Further, this research contributes to a signicant knowledge gap regarding
the function of social media in elections, particularly among political newcomers. It
highlights the importance of social media as a tool for political communication and voter
engagement. The ndings suggest that social media platforms like TikTok are not just
supplementary to traditional campaign methods but are integral to the success of modern
political campaigns. This is especially relevant for newcomers who may lack the resources
and recognition compared to established politicians. Furthermore, the study emphasises
the need for further investigation into how both traditional and social media inuence
voter behaviour and election outcomes, especially among different demographic groups.
Understanding the impact of media on various voter segments is crucial for developing
targeted and effective communication strategies.
This study also deepens our understanding of the intricate relationship between
effective political communication and electoral success. By identifying key thematic
patterns and demonstrating the importance of social media content, persuasive
communication strategies that appeal to diverse voter segments can be drafted for future
political campaigns. The insights gained from this research can inform the crafting of
tailored messages that address the specic concerns of different voter groups, thereby
enhancing the effectiveness of campaign efforts. As the political landscape continues to
evolve, understanding these dynamics is crucial for devising communication techniques that

Newcomers in politics: A thematic analysis of 2023 Malaysian State Election candidates’ TikTok content
96
resonate with voters. In short, successful political communication increasingly depends on
the ability to use social media platforms effectively to reach and engage with the electorate.
Finally, this research not only broadens our comprehension of contemporary
political campaigns but also paves the way for further exploration into this ever-changing
eld. By examining the content shared by political newcomers, this study offers a fresh
perspective on political communication and contributes to a more comprehensive
discussion on the strategies used in election campaigns. The insights provided by this
research can guide future studies and help political candidates, campaign managers, and
researchers better understand the role of social media in modern electoral processes. It
also presents an alternative perspective by examining the content uploaded by political
newcomers during the election campaign period. By revealing the specic characteristics
of content shared by political newcomers, it presents other researchers with a range of
perspectives. The ndings also help explicate the hidden aspects of communication used
by politicians, especially those who are new to the political arena. Consequently, this leads
to a more thorough comprehension of the dynamics involved in election campaigns and
enhances the discussion on approaches for political communication.
Limitations and future research
This study examined content creation and impact of social media, specically TikTok,
on political newcomers in Malaysia. It shed light on how these individuals utilise this
platform to engage with their audience and shape their political narrative. However, this
narrow focus also means the research ndings might not capture the full range of social
media strategies used by political newcomers across other platforms like Facebook, Twitter,
or Instagram. Thus, future studies are essential to explore the broad spectrum of social
media usage among politicians, rather than conning the analysis to a single platform.
Political communication in the digital age is complex and multifaceted, with different
platforms offering unique ways to reach and interact with constituents. By concentrating
solely on TikTok, this research may have missed out on understanding how newcomers
integrate multiple social media channels into a cohesive strategy. Future studies should
therefore expand their scope to include a variety of social media platforms. This broader
approach would provide a more holistic view of how politicians, both newcomers and
established gures, leverage social media to disseminate information, inuence public
opinion, and connect with voters.
Additionally, this study focused exclusively on political newcomers, which, while
insightful, means this study did not consider how experienced politicians might use
TikTok differently. Including a diverse range of political gures in future research could
reveal contrasting strategies and help us understand how social media usage evolves with
political experience. By comparing the approaches of newcomers and seasoned politicians,
researchers can better grasp the nuances of digital political communication and the
different challenges and opportunities faced by these groups.
Lastly, this study is geographically limited to Malaysia, which has its own unique
political and cultural context. Future research could benet from a comparative approach,
examining political newcomers in different countries or regions to see how context
inuences social media use. This would not only enhance the generalisability of the
ndings but also contribute to a richer, more complex understanding of global political
communication trends.
In summary, while this study sheds important light on the role of TikTok in the
political strategies of Malaysian political newcomers, future research should consider a
wider array of social media platforms and include both new and established politicians

SEARCH 16(2), 2024
97
from various regions. This broader approach will help build a more comprehensive and
robust understanding of the ever-evolving landscape of political communication in the
digital era.
Open Access: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License (CC-BY 4.0) which permits any use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided
the original author(s) and the source are credited.
References
Abidin, C. (2021). Mapping internet celebrity on TikTok: Exploring attention economies and
visibility labours. Cultural Science Journal, 12(1), 77–103. https://doi.org/10.5334/csci.140
Abroms, L. C. (2019). Public health in the era of social media. American Journal of Public Health,
109(S2), S130–S131.
Alter, A. (2020, Nov 6). The political battle over social media: How Trump and Biden used different
platforms in their campaigns. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/06/
technology/politics-social-media-trump-biden.html
Amila. S. E. (2020). Is media a tool for propaganda or tool for information? International Journal of
Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), 4(2), 176–180.
Ashraf, S. I. (2022). The dark side of news xing: The culture and political economy of global media in
Pakistan and Afghanistan. Anthem Press.
Auerbach, J., & Castronovo, R. (2013). The Oxford handbook of propaganda studies. Oxford
University Press.
Berelson, B. (1971). Content analysis in communication research. Hafner Publishing Company
Bernama. (2021, July 29). Isu kebajikan, sosioekonomi, bantuan kewangan, topik penting Dewan
Rakyat hari ini [Welfare issues, socioeconomics, nancial assistance, important topics of the
Dewan Rakyat today]. FreeMalaysiaToday. https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/
tempatan/2021/07/29/isu-sosial-ekonomi-rakyat-topik-penting-dewan-rakyat-hari-ini/
Bimber, B., & Davis, R. (2003). Campaigning online: The Internet in U.S. elections. Oxford University
Press.
Blumler, J. G., & Kavanagh, D. (1999). The third age of political communication: Inuences and
features. Political Communication, 16(3), 209–230. https://doi.org/10.1080/105846099198597
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in
Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.
Carlos, K., Vargas, D., Estigoy, M. & Hail, P. (2022). Effects of social media on political
communication. https://ssrn.com/abstract=4157044
Carpenter, A. C. (2010). The Obamachine: Technopolitics 2.0. Journal of Information Technology &
Politics, 7(2–3), 216–225.
Cervi, L., Tejedor, S., & Marín-Lladó, C. (2021). TikTok and the new language of political
communication. Cultura, Lenguaje y Representación, 26, 267–287. Doi: 10.6035/clr.5817.
Chan-Olmsted, S.M. (2006). Competitive strategy for media rms: Strategic and brand management in
changing media markets (1st ed). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410617408
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2011). Research methods in education (7th ed). Routledge.
Davies, C. A., Spence, J. C., Vandelanotte, C., Caperchione, C. M., & Mummery, W. K. (2012).
Meta-analysis of internet-delivered interventions to increase physical activity levels. International
Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 9(1), 52. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-
9-52
Donath, J., & Boyd, D. (2004). Public displays of connection. BT Technology Journal, 22(4), 71– 82.
Ellison, N. B., Steineld, C., & Lampe, C. (2007). The benets of Facebook “friends:” Social
capital and college students’ use of online social network sites. Journal of Computer-Mediated
Communication, 12(4), 1143–1168.
Farkas, J., & Neumayer, C. (2018). Disguised propaganda from digital to social media. In J.
Hunsinger, L. Klastrup, & M. Allen (Eds.), Second international handbook of internet research
(pp. 326–335). Springer.
Garland, D. (2016). The welfare state: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press.

Newcomers in politics: A thematic analysis of 2023 Malaysian State Election candidates’ TikTok content
98
Hamat, A., Embi, M. A., & Hassan, H. (2012). The use of social networking sites among Malaysian
university students. International Education Studies, 5(3), 56–66. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v5n3p56
Herman, E. S., & Chomsky, N. (2008). Manufacturing consent: The political economy of the mass
media. The Bodley Head.
Hill, K. A., & Hughes, J. E. (1998). Cyberpolitics: Citizen activism in the age of the internet. Rowman
& Littleeld.
Hong, S., & Kim, S. H. (2016). Political polarization on twitter: Implications for the use of social
media in digital governments. Government Information Quarterly, 33(4), 777–782.
Idris, F., Hassan, Z., Ya’acob, A., Gill, S., & Mohd Awal, N. (2012). The role of education in shaping
youth’s national identity. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 59, 443–450. 10.1016/j.
sbspro.2012.09.299.
Jnanathapaswi, S. G. (2021). Thematic analysis & coding: An overview of the qualitative paradigm. In
An introduction to social science research (pp. 98–105). APH Publishing.
Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, P. E. (2011). Campaigning in the twenty-rst century: A whole new
ballgame? Routledge.
Jones, S. G. (Ed.). (1998). Cybersociety: Computer-mediated communication and community. Sage
Publications.
Jowett, G. S., & O’Donnell, V. (2012). Propaganda and persuasion (5th ed). Sage.
Karlsen, R. (2009). Campaign communication and the internet: Party strategy in the 2005 Norwegian
election campaign. Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties, 19(2), 183–202. https://doi.org/
10.1080/17457280902799030
Kendall, T. (2021). From binge-watching to binge-scrolling: TikTok and the rhythms of
#Lockdownlife. Film Quarterly, 75(1), 41–46.
Kruikemeier, S., van Noort, G., Vliegenthart, R., & de Vreese, C. H. (2013). Getting closer: The
effects of personalized and interactive online political communication. European Journal of
Communication, 28(1), 53–66
Lev-On, A. (2011). Campaigning online: Use of the Internet by parties, candidates, and voters
in national and local election campaigns in Israel. Policy & Internet, 3(1), 1–28. https://doi.
org/10.2202/1944-2866.1045
Lilleker, D. G., & Jackson, N. A. (2010). Toward a more participatory style of election campaigning:
The impact of Web 2.0 on the U.K. 2010 general election. Policy & Internet, 2(3), 69–98. https://
doi.org/10.2202/1944-2866.1064
Livingstone, S. (1999). New media, new audiences? New Media & Society, 1(1), 59–66. https://doi.org/
10.1177/1461444899001001010
Macnamara, J. (2008). The Internet and the public sphere: The 2007 Australian e-electioneering
experience. Media International Australia, 129, 7–19.
McChesney, R. W. (2000). The political economy of communication and the future of the eld.
Media, Culture & Society, 22(1), 109–116. https://doi.org/10.1177/016344300022001006
McNair, B. (2012). Journalism and democracy: An evaluation of the political public sphere. Routledge.
Medina Serrano, J. C., Papakyriakopoulos, O., & Hegelich, S. (2020). Dancing to the partisan beat:
A rst analysis of political communication on TikTok. In 12th ACM Conference on Web Science
(pp. 257–266). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/3394231.3397916
Midgley, J. (2016). Social welfare for global era: International perspectives on policy and practice. Sage
Publications.
Miller, G., & Brewer, J. D. (2003). The A-Z of social research: A dictionary of key social science
research concepts. Sage Publications.
Mohd Isa, N. A., Jawan, J., Talib, T., Ab Razak, R. R., & Boyman, S. N. (2022). The inuence of
the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) coalition formation after the 14th Malaysian General
Election. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(12), 2159
– 2168.
Mohamad Yusuf, F. A., Abdullah, M. H. T., & Ridzuan, A. R. (2022). Validating media credibility
for new media users. SEARCH Journal of Media and Communication Research, 14(Special Issue:
iCOMS2021), 87–98.
Montag, C., & Haibo, Y., & Elhai, J. (2021). On the psychology of TikTok use: A rst glimpse from
empirical ndings. Frontiers in Public Health, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.641673
Montenegro, L. (2021, Aug 27). The rise of short-form video: TikTok is changing the game. Forbes.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2021/08/27/the-rise-of-short-form-video-tiktok-
is-changing-the-game/

SEARCH 16(2), 2024
99
Neuendorf, K. A. (2002). The content analysis guidebook. Sage.
Newman, N., Fletcher, R., Kalogeropoulos, A., Levy, D., & Nielsen, R. K. (2017, August 28). Reuters
Institute Digital News Report 2017. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3026082
Norris, P. (2001). Digital divide? Civic engagement, information poverty, and the Internet worldwide.
Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139164887
Okan, E. Y., Topcu, A., & Akyuz, S. (2014). The role of social media in political marketing: 2014 local
election of Turkey. European Journal of Business and Management, 6(22), 131–140.
Petrosyan, A. (2024, May 22). Worldwide digital population 2024. Statista. https://www.statista.com/
statistics/617136/digital-population-worldwide/#statisticContainer
Potrel, V. (2022, Sept 6). Five insights into the popularity of short-form video content. Forbes. https://
www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2022/09/06/ve-insights-into-the-popularity-
of-short-form-video-content/
Poulakidakos, S., & Armenakis, A. (2014). Propaganda in Greek public discourse. Propaganda scales
in the presentation of the Greek MoU-bailout agreement of 2010. Revue des Sciences Politiques,
41, 126–140.
Saldana, J. M. (2015). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (3rd ed). Sage Publications.
Sauyyan, A. (2017). Kempen politik Trump: Strategi, taktik dan model perang saraf media [Trump’s
political campaign: Strategy, tactics and models of media warfare]. Jurnal Komunikasi:
Malaysian Journal of Communication, 31(1), 294–312.
Schweitzer, E. J. (2008). Innovation or normalization in e-campaigning? A longitudinal content and
structural analysis of German party websites in the 2002 and 2005 national elections. European
Journal of Communication, 23(4), 449–470. https://doi.org/10.1177/0267323108096516
Shao, C., Ciampaglia, G. L., Varol, O., Flammini, A., & Menczer, F. (2017). The spread of fake news
by social bots. In: ArXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/1707.07592v2.
Skidmore, W. L. (1971). Social behaviour and competition. Journal of Social Issues, 8(4), 235–243.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-618X.1971.tb02364.x
Stemler, S. (2001). An introduction to content analysis. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation,
7(17).
Tan, J. J., & Firdaus, A. (2023). Social Media Political Information Dependency (SMPID): Theorising
news seeking in an age of sharing and posting. SEARCH Journal of Media and Communication
Research, 15(1), 1–21.
Towner, L. T., & Dulio, A. D. (2012). New media and political marketing in the United States: 2012
and beyond. Journal of Political Marketing, 11(1–2), 95–119. https://doi.org/10.1080/15377857.20
12.642748
Tumasjan, A., Sprenger, T. O., Sandner, P.G., & Welpe, I. M. (2010). Predicting elections with twitter:
What 140 characters reveal about political sentiments. Proceedings of the International AAAI
Conference on Web and Social Media, 4(1), 178–185. https://doi.org/10.1609/icwsm.v4i1.14009
Vaccari, C. (2008). Surng to the Elysee: The Internet in the 2007 French elections. French Politics,
6(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.fp.8200139
Weinberg, S. K. (1970). Social problem in modern urban society. Prentice Hall.
Wells, G., Li, S., & Lin, L. (2020, July 8). TikTok, once an oasis of inoffensive fun, ventures warily
into politics. Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-ventures-warily-into-
politicsand-nds-complications-11594224268

Newcomers in politics: A thematic analysis of 2023 Malaysian State Election candidates’ TikTok content
100
Mohd Pirdaus Mat Husain
is a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Technology, Design & Management
(FTDM), UCYP University, in Kuantan, Pahang. His areas of expertise are visual
communication, photo documentary, and media studies. He has more than 12 years of
research experience in a variety of research projects.
Ali Salman
is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Language Studies and Human Development,
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK). His current areas of academic interest include
digital inclusion and beyond the digital divide, and factors affecting technology
acceptance and sustainability. Salman has published extensively on the impact of the
Internet on society ranging from developmental impact, and user studies, to politics
and democracy.
Mohd Nor Shahizan Ali
is Associate Professor at the Centre for Media and Communication Studies, Faculty
of Social Sciences & Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (The National
University of Malaysia), Malaysia. His current research interests include media literacy,
visual documentary, broadcasting (documentary) and visual communication.
Khairunnisa Mohad Khazin
is a faculty member in the General Studies Department at UCYP University, Kuantan,
Pahang. She specialises in English Language studies and brings over 14 years of
research experience.