LETTER | The party that wins the 16th general election won’t be the one with the loudest ceramah, but the one with the most sophisticated algorithm.

GE16 will be defined by a massive demographic shift - the rise of the three million-strong “kingmaker” bloc.

To capture the three million first-time voters, political parties must shift from “talking at” the youth to “engaging with” them in their digital habitats.

Lemon8 for lifestyle-focused politics, Threads for intellectual discourse, and TikTok for high-impact visual narratives.

Campaigns will shift beyond Facebook and TikTok into emerging spaces like Threads, X, BlueSky, and Lemon8.

GE16 is shaping up to be a historic collision between tradition and technology.

For this generation of digital natives (born 2004-2009), political loyalty is fluid. They are the ultimate “swing voters”, and their hearts and minds will be won on the screens they live on.

While the government’s mandate officially runs until February 2028, political momentum is already building for a 2027 general election, synchronised with the Malacca state polls (due by December 2026 to early 2027).

Approximately 500,000 to 600,000 citizens turn 18 every year, with their data from the National Registration Department automatically synchronised with the Election Commission.

By 2027, nearly 25 million Malaysians will be eligible to vote, from 21.1 million in GE15. Voters aged 18 to 39 will likely constitute over 50 percent of the total electorate.

With the Malacca state assembly’s term ending in December 2026, it serves as the red flag that most choose to ignore.

Political parties are already feeling the pressure. Those who fail to master digital storytelling and AI-driven outreach by then will find themselves obsolete by the time GE16 arrives.

In 2022, we saw the “Green Wave” driven by TikTok.

While older generations vote based on long-standing racial or party lines, Gen Z filters their choices through a values-based lens. Integrity and anti-corruption are non-negotiable.

They are quick to “drop” leaders who appear entitled or out of touch.

In 2027, we will see the “AI Wave”. Youth empowerment is no longer a slogan. It is the mathematical reality of who decides the next government.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.