Kemelut atau kemulut, siapa pendana krisis di Negeri Sembilan?

Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak has expressed deep concern about the lack of discussion and debate in Malay and Muslim society in Malaysia. He believes that such a trend is nearing taboo, but is leading to unseemly behavior. Sultan Nazrin addressed this issue during a session of the National Islamic Council (MKI) when he was presiding.

He is worried about the spread of misinformation and unverified news, which he fears is fueling hatred and mistrust among Malaysians and Muslims. He warns that it is crucial for our nation and Muslims to be taught the habit of listening before responding, understanding before judging, and researching before spreading anything. This concern is particularly relevant as political campaigns leading up to the upcoming elections in Johor, Negeri Sembilan, and Melaka are intensifying.

The phenomenon of "fake news" or "astroturfing" is becoming increasingly common on social media platforms. These are often orchestrated by paid political actors who create narratives and engage in behavior that is ill-mannered, disrespectful, and harmful. This is not to be confused with genuine public sentiment or spontaneous online reactions.

Astroturfing is a form of political manipulation where political campaigns appear as grassroots movements but are funded and directed by political actors. This type of activity is not organic, spontaneous, or organic, but rather planned, coordinated, and centrally controlled. The political scientist Rauchfleisch Kovic, in his 2018 study, defined astroturfing as a tactic or strategy used in online politics where political campaigns are presented as the activity of ordinary individuals, but are actually run by paid political actors with a political mastermind behind them.