Malaysian Chinese youths are increasingly exposed to political developments, follow debates on social media and have strong views on issues such as the rising cost of living, but many remain unclear about how government institutions work and where to seek help for problems in their communities, a study by IMAN Research has found.
The study found a gap between following political developments and understanding how the political system operates, including which government agencies are responsible for specific issues and how citizens can make their voices heard.
Interviews showed that participants often associated national politics with elections, scandals, party manoeuvring and disputes over race and religion.
However, when discussing local concerns such as housing, education, wages and public services, they were often more specific about problems and the changes they wanted.
The report, titled Kami Orang Sini Juga: Chinese Youths and Democratic Belonging – The Politics of Pragmatism and Fairness, is based on interviews with 116 Malaysian Chinese youths aged between 18 and 35 across Peninsular Malaysia.
Civic education that fails to leave a lasting impact
One of the report’s findings was that participants had only vague memories of what they learnt through the former Pendidikan Sivik dan Kewarganegaraan subject and how it had shaped their understanding of politics as adults.
Some recalled that civic education lessons had been replaced by subjects considered more important.
One participant said civic and political education should go beyond memorising the concept of constitutional monarchy or the structure of Parliament.
“We should be learning about how the democratic system works from a young age,” the participant said, adding that students should understand what voting and political representation mean and why they matter.
The researchers stressed that exposure to political events did not necessarily translate into the ability to understand them.
Participants might know about a controversy or have strong opinions on an issue without understanding which institution was responsible, the powers held by elected representatives or what action citizens could realistically take.
Family and social media shape political understanding
The report introduces what it calls the “First-to-Door” model to explain how young people develop their understanding of politics.
It describes how the first trusted source that makes politics meaningful or understandable can influence how a person interprets political information encountered later.
The term does not necessarily refer to the earliest source encountered, but rather the person, platform or experience that first provides a convincing framework for understanding political developments.
For some participants, this source was their family.
The researchers found that parents could shape political understanding through discussions about elections, government policies and experiences of exclusion.
However, family influence could also take the form of silence.
One participant who voted for the first time recalled being unsure which party logo to select, despite knowing that voting was expected of her.
She said her family did not discuss politics at home.
Social media was another important source of political information, although participants were not necessarily exposed to the same discussions.
The report found that language influenced which political conversations reached them. Some participants deliberately followed both Chinese- and Malay-language media to avoid missing discussions in different public spheres.
“If I only consumed Chinese-language media, I would miss entire waves of discourse happening in the Malay public sphere,” one interviewee said.
However, the researchers cautioned that consuming news in multiple languages did not automatically translate into a better understanding of politics.
Some participants read only headlines, while others compared different commentators and perspectives before forming their own views.
Political knowledge does not guarantee participation
The report also distinguishes between political knowledge and political proximity.
Political knowledge refers to understanding how institutions operate, the responsibilities of different office-holders and public issues.
Political proximity, meanwhile, refers to how directly someone encounters political work, political actors and decision-making through activities such as community organising, campaigning, party work or regular contact with elected representatives.
The researchers used a matrix to illustrate how these two dimensions could overlap without necessarily developing together.
For instance, someone might become involved in a political party or be invited to assist an elected representative without fully understanding how government institutions work.
Another person might closely follow political developments and understand public policies but remain outside political organisations or direct political activities.
The report stressed that the matrix was exploratory, with its four positions illustrating possible combinations rather than fixed categories of Malaysian Chinese youths.
It also found that involvement in political organisations could provide participants with networks, procedural knowledge and confidence, but did not automatically develop independent political judgement.
Similarly, contact with elected representatives could help young people understand how to lodge complaints or seek assistance, although it might not necessarily teach them which government agency was responsible for a particular issue.
Making civic participation more practical
The researchers recommended strengthening civic education by moving beyond lessons on government structures and electoral procedures towards practical political and media literacy.
Students should be given opportunities to engage with local institutions, conduct community research, understand how public decisions are made and interact with people outside their immediate social circles.
One example highlighted in the report was a programme at Pay Fong Middle School in Melaka.
The programme includes visits to local heritage sites, documenting historical places and interviewing residents from different ethnic backgrounds.
The researchers also recommended that state and local authorities establish neighbourhood advisory bodies and support youth-led community projects.
They argued that young people should experience democratic participation as part of everyday life rather than something limited to voting during elections.
The report noted that practical opportunities to understand and engage with public institutions could help young people distinguish political arguments from the processes through which public decisions are made.
