COMMENT | For young Malaysians, civic participation today is inseparable from digital life. Political debate unfolds on social media, petitions circulate on messaging apps, and mobilisation often begins with a hashtag rather than a town hall.

Against this backdrop, Part II of the Federal Constitution, guaranteeing fundamental liberties, cannot be treated as a static post-independence document; rather, it must function as a living framework whose legitimacy depends on its ability to protect rights in the digital age.

The question for the younger generation is not whether the Constitution promises freedom, but whether those promises meaningfully survive in a digital civic space increasingly regulated by the state.

Constitution meets digital age

Article 10 of the Federal Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, assembly, and association. For young Malaysians, this provision underpins digital expression: posting political commentary, organising campaigns, or criticising public officials online.

In theory, these acts are...