MALAYSIA Malaysia’s population of 32 million is predominantly Muslim Malays and Indigenous groups (60%), with ethnic Chinese (25%) and ethnic Indians (6.5%).229 The Barisan Nasional formula reflects Malaysia’s population, as it is a political coalition that has been established since independence with the aim of holding multi-ethnic representation within government. However, the government’s struggle to maintain multi-ethnic representation and address East-West Malaysian dynamics, including central-periphery relations and cultural differences, has created division. Far-right actors, such as the Perikatan Coalition (PN coalition), which is a political coalition formed by Malay nationalists and Islamist parties, have exploited this turmoil in the 2022-2023 elections to push for authoritarian Malay-Muslim majority, sidelining multicultural representation.230 In recent years, it has also been documented using social media platforms – such as a right-wing Islamist-linked Facebook page, “Voter Awareness Movement” (Gerakan Pengundi Sedar, or GPS)231 – to promote voting exclusively for Muslim candidates, and campaigning to dislodge non-Muslim candidates from Muslim-majority constituencies. GPS has transformed into a relentless force on Facebook, posting daily in a way that stokes fear of ‘threats’ to Islam. One of their tactics is to focus on specific events or moments, like the 2019 Women’s Day March in Kuala Lumpur, where the presence of rainbow flags was spun into a narrative of the dangers of LGBTQI+ groups’ visibility and demanding governmental intervention.232 In the 2022 election, Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS), a fundamentalist party advocating for theocratic Islamic rule, won 49 out of 222 parliamentary seats, becoming the largest single party in the government. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PK) alliance won 82 seats but fell short of the majority needed to form a government.233 The Perikatan Nasional alliance, including PAS, secured 73 seats, while the 229 Initiate.my. (2022). Social Media and the Far Right in Malaysia: Oxygen to Fire for a Conspiratorial Worldview. Initiate.my. https://initiate.my/social-media-and-the-far-right-in-malaysia-oxygen-to-fire-for-a-conspiratorial-worldview/ 230 Vice. (2022). Malaysia’s Far Right Islamists Thrive in Hung Parliament. Vice. https://www.vice.com/en/article/93ampv/malaysia-far-right-islamists-hung-parliament 231 Mohamad, M. (2020). Manufacturing Malay unity and the downfall of Pakatan Harapan. New Mandala, 28 February. https://www.newmandala.org/manufacturing-malay-unity-and-the-downfall-of-pakatan-harapan/ 232 Free Malaysia Today. (2022). ‘Mat Kilau’ Inaccurate, Says Academic Who Wants ‘Honest Narrative.’ August 2. https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2022/08/02/mat-kilau-inaccurate-says-academic-who-wants-honest-narrative/ 233 The Edge, Malaysia. (2023). Cover Story: Addressing Malaysia’s Shift to the Far Right. https://theedgemalaysia. com/node/679650 63