KUALA LUMPUR – “Oh, is he a politician?”
It sounds like an innocent question, but a customer at a cafe launched by Rafizi Ramli had no idea who he was when told he was the person behind Kesum.
Rafizi is one of Malaysia’s most prominent political figures. A former economy minister, he is also a long-time reformist and leader of the newly revamped Parti Bersama Malaysia. Yet outside politically engaged circles, it appears not everyone knows who he is.
Contrast that with Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, the MP for Muar. The same customer, when asked whether she knew Syed Saddiq, said yes, adding that she liked him and actress Bella Astillah together because “they are such a sweet couple”.
Love him or hate him, Syed Saddiq, a former youth and sports minister, has become one of Malaysia’s most recognisable politicians, not just because of his political career but because of his celebrity status.
In Malaysia, some political figures are attaining celebrity-like status on social media, a useful way for them to boost their profile and messaging with the General Election due by early 2028 and state polls coming up for Johor on July 11 and for Negeri Sembilan on Aug 1. But analysts say the jury is out on how much a strong social media profile translates into votes.
Syed Saddiq, founder of the youth-based Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA), has become a fixture not only in political discussions but also celebrity gossip columns, thanks in large part to his widely publicised relationship with Bella.
When he and Bella began appearing together in promotional campaigns and social media posts, a nickname was coined: BASS, short for Bella Astillah and Syed Saddiq.
Giant billboards featured the couple for commercial campaigns, while fans dissected their public appearances. On March 28, a live broadcast of their engagement ceremony generated nearly 130 million views across Astro’s platforms.
Once known primarily for youth politics and anti-corruption advocacy, Syed Saddiq’s personal life now generates as much interest as his political career. He stepped down as MUDA president in 2023 following a conviction on corruption-related charges, with a final Federal Court appeal verdict scheduled for June 30.
Yet, as his legal battles loom, public interest in his relationship has provided an unexpected buffer. According to MUDA information chief Rasid Abu Bakar, the visibility from the relationship has produced tangible benefits.
“It definitely increased visibility for MUDA,” Rasid told The Straits Times.
Many of the party’s programmes and parliamentary initiatives reached audiences that traditional political messaging rarely touches because of the attention around BASS, he said.
Rasid said follower growth across MUDA and party leadership social media platforms increased by more than 400,000 within the first three months of the BASS wave, from end-2024 to early 2025.
Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who co-hosts the popular Keluar Sekejap podcast, continues to command a large online audience despite no longer holding elected office.
If anything, his public profile appears to have grown since he launched the podcast following his expulsion from UMNO in 2023. Although he returned to the party in 2026, Khairy’s influence today can be measured in the size of the audiences he attracts online.
Besides a stint as a radio DJ, he also adds film actor to his list of roles by appearing in the satirical film 5 Bomoh, which opened in cinemas on June 4.
In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, political reach is measured not only in parliamentary seats but also in clicks, views and subscribers.
For Aziff Azuddin, research director at think-tank Iman Research, the rise of politicians as online personalities has fundamentally altered how voters relate to them.
“Social media has the effect of personalising the relationship between the content creator and audience. Most politicians still use it as a press release or a broadcast platform,” Aziff told ST.
“But others, like Khairy or Syed Saddiq, have used it the way most normal users do: curating and sharing their lives and opinions. Not enough to be intimate, but enough to be personal.”
Aziff said that, as a result, their followers develop a parasocial relationship with them. They feel “closer” to the politicians because they seemingly have access to their thoughts and see them often in their feeds.
Political scientist Syaza Shukri of the International Islamic University Malaysia argued that social media has fundamentally changed how politics is consumed.
“I teach and research on populism. So what has happened in the past decade is the rise of social media and politics as entertainment. This is common everywhere in the world now,” she told ST.
Syaza said government policies often struggle to gain traction online because they are less entertaining than personality-driven political content, creating a perception that governments are inactive unless prominent political influencers highlight their initiatives.
“If I just use my students as an example, and they are political science students, even they can’t really name a lot of politicians,” she said.
For younger Malaysians, Khairy, better known by his initials KJ, appears to have achieved a level of visibility few politicians can match.
“KJ’s name comes up a lot in discussions, I think because of his podcast. Syed Saddiq comes and goes in the news cycle. But someone like KJ has consistent output with (his podcast), so it passes their social media,” said Syaza.
Malaysia offers examples of both success and failure when celebrity and politics collide.
One success story is rapper-turned-politician Altimet, whose real name is Syed Ahmad Syed Abdul Rahman Al-Hadad. After years as one of Malaysia’s best-known hip-hop artistes, he entered politics through PKR and won the Selangor state seat of Lembah Jaya in 2023.
On the other hand, social media influencer Cleopatra attracted significant publicity when she contested the Batu parliamentary seat during Malaysia’s 2022 general election.
However, the independent candidate, whose real name is Nur Fathiah Syazwana Shaharuddin, secured just 628 votes. PKR’s P. Prabakaran retained the seat comfortably with more than 45,000 votes.
As Aziff put it: “Popularity or personality isn’t enough in politics. The voting public also needs to connect to your worldview and politics, and be convinced by what you’re selling.”
That lesson may become increasingly important as millions of younger Malaysians enter the electorate after the voting age was lowered to 18 just before the 2022 general election.
TikTok, one of the most influential platforms in the last general election campaign, is not the sole battleground for political attention either.
“You also have Douyin, or RedNote, popular among Malaysian Chinese. It’s also worth considering which platforms are for what purpose. Some are for lifestyle, some are for current affairs,” said Aziff.
“YouTube is also very popular among youth for political content because it’s the only platform that hosts long podcasts,” he added.
Meanwhile, Syaza believes social media’s influence on young voters is undeniable: “The short video format (such as TikTok) is so much more effective with young voters.”
Syaza said that social media influence can translate into electoral support, particularly among younger voters.
“If a celebrity is popular online, that can definitely translate to votes,” she said.
“A lot of younger voters may not be politically exposed, may not care much about politics, or may not be particularly aware of political issues. If they see someone popular online and that person runs in an election, he or she can easily attract these younger voters.”
However, she cautioned against overstating the electoral power of online popularity alone, as candidates ultimately need to appeal to a broader electorate to secure electoral success.
She said: “The question is whether they can win with just the younger voters. That’s why I feel the impact is still quite limited.”
Student Nur Shamie Aqilah Shamsul, 18, who follows Syed Saddiq on social media, said she would consider voting for him.
“In my view, he actively engages with young people, is attentive to current issues, and uses social media effectively to interact with the public,” she said.
However, she stressed that popularity alone would not determine her choice.
“I would also evaluate his integrity, track record and contributions to the people before making a decision.”
While the diner at Kesum did not know who Rafizi is, the internet, meanwhile, knows BASS.
That gap captures a changing reality – while a politician’s platform may win them a seat, in Malaysia’s new media arena, it is their lifestyle that wins them a screen.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.straitstimes.com ’
