TONGOD: Young people have been encouraged to leverage the current digital technology boom to create economic opportunities and acquire valuable knowledge.
Kuamut Assemblyman Datuk Masiung Banah issued this call, advising youths to use social media productively rather than becoming consumed by unregulated content that promotes incitement and misconduct.
He made these remarks while officiating the closing ceremony of the Kuamut Assemblyman sepak takraw tournament, organized by the Youth Vision of Tongod in Kampung Lingkabung on Saturday.
Masiung highlighted that the pervasive use of social media among the younger generation should be channelled into positive outcomes.
“Many youths are now building full-time careers by live-streaming significant events and earning substantial income through platforms like TikTok,” he noted. “This is the kind of productive engagement we advocate.”
However, he also expressed concern over a minority using digital media for harmful purposes, such as spreading defamatory videos and false narratives to tarnish the reputations of individuals and organizations for political gain.
He specifically pointed to the lead-up to the 17th State Election (PRN-17), noting that paid ‘cyber troopers’ from various groups routinely use social media as a primary platform to attack government leaders with incendiary content.
In his concluding advice, Masiung urged the younger generation to remain vigilant and not be manipulated by certain leaders with hidden political agendas. – James Leong
