Face-To-Face Meetings Still Relevant For Politicians, Says Academic

By Erda Khursyiah Basir KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- It is important for elected representatives to continue to have face-to-face meetings with their electorate even though many people now have access to social media such as Facebook and Twitter, said Universiti Utara Malaysia senior Political and International Studies lecturer Md Shukri Shuib. He said regular meetings between politicians and the people, even at public functions like kenduri (feasts) or at places of worship and Parent-Teacher Association and alumni meetings, will draw more votes to the Barisan Nasional (BN) during a general election. "Although many people have access to social media, a lot of them don't know the proper and efficient way of using it," said Md Shukri, who was commenting on Umno Vice President Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's recent remarks that Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties must change their campaign strategy from face-to-face meetings to online or non-verbal communication in preparation for the 14th general election. "Maybe he was talking about how to get close to voters in urban areas, especially in the Klang Valley, Penang and Johor. Where the smaller towns and rural areas are concerned, the politicians will still have to continue with the practice of meeting the people personally," Md Shukri told Bernama. Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, had said that the change in campaign strategy was necessary as 6.2 million first-time voters are from the younger generation who prefer to interact through social media, rather than via television, radio or newspapers. Md Shukri feels that the BN needs more competent elected representatives who are aware of what is going on around them and are sensitive to the grievances of the people. He said even if a minister is well versed with the social media, the people would remain unhappy if he or she does not take proactive action to resolve their problems. He said leaders should use the social media as a platform to retrieve information and as a medium to interact with the people and other leaders to help resolve problems. Pointing out that people do not vote for a person merely on account of how active he or she is on social media, he said other factors count too, such as the integrity of the candidate and refraining from sabotaging those who are fielded as candidates. -- BERNAMA