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THE underground cybertrooper industry in Malaysia’s is reportedly expanding into a highly organised digital operation where paid online operatives earn up to RM10,000 a month to shape narratives, manipulate algorithms and engineer viral controversies across social media platforms.
According to a report by Kosmo! Ahad, these virtual campaigns are no longer informal online activities but structured operations complete with command hierarchies, coordinators, state-level leaders and grassroots operatives tasked with influencing public perception.
A man identified only as Nazri, 45, claimed ordinary cybertroopers typically receive fixed monthly payments of around RM2,000, while higher-ranking state coordinators can earn between RM5,000 and RM10,000 depending on the scale and aggressiveness of their campaigns.
“For grassroots members, a RM2,000 salary is paid directly into their bank accounts every month,” he said.
“State chiefs receive higher payouts of between RM5,000 and RM10,000.
“The more aggressive and skilled you are in manipulating public sentiment, the higher your value within the group.
“Some are paid specifically to attack certain issues until they go viral,” he added.
Nazri alleged that operatives are routinely instructed to monitor trending issues, produce agenda-driven content and launch coordinated attacks against political rivals through social media channels.
He claimed instructions are usually distributed through dedicated WhatsApp and Telegram groups, where campaign coordinators issue detailed guidelines on which topics to target and how narratives should be framed.
Recalling his involvement in political campaign operations, Nazri said party-linked coordinators would first receive briefings before discussions continued in closed online groups.
These discussions, he claimed, included instructions on which issues to amplify, what messaging to deploy and, in some cases, ready-made scripts or comment templates to be copied and repeated.
“Common comments deployed include ‘the people are fed up’, ‘everyone can see through this scam’, or ‘this person is just a drama queen’,” he said.
He explained that such remarks are deliberately crafted to resemble spontaneous reactions from ordinary users despite being part of coordinated psychological operations aimed at influencing public sentiment.
“Sometimes, we are instructed to repeat almost identical sentences across different accounts to make it look like a widely accepted consensus.
“When netizens see a barrage of negative comments, they are more likely to believe the narrative,” Nazri said.
He added that such operations become especially aggressive during election periods but continue throughout the year as a stable source of income for many participants.
Nazri further claimed that individuals involved in political cyber campaigns often include party members, political supporters, media practitioners and professionals from various sectors with links to influential figures.
To conceal identities, operatives are allegedly supplied with pre-prepared fake social media accounts complete with usernames, passwords and existing follower networks.
Beyond politics, the cybertrooper industry has reportedly expanded into influencer marketing, product promotion and online gossip campaigns designed to artificially boost engagement and visibility.
Tasks involving ordinary social media interaction can reportedly earn individuals between RM50 and RM200 depending on the complexity and duration of assignments.
A 27-year-old identified as Amir said participants are often assigned to TikTok, Facebook and Instagram campaigns to inflate engagement levels during live broadcasts or promotional activities.
“We have a WhatsApp group of about 30 members, and tasks are handed down by controllers.
“Payments are project-based. Some tasks require a commitment of several hours, while others last for an entire campaign,” he said.
According to Amir, participants are instructed to remain highly active during live-stream sessions by asking questions, posting positive reactions and creating the illusion of strong audience engagement.
“If it is a product sales campaign, we must act like real consumers. We leave comments like ‘purchased’ or ‘I have used this and it really cleared up my acne’, or ask questions about the product,” he said.
He added that some assignments specifically require participants to provoke controversy or flood comment sections with criticism in order to push content into trending algorithms.
Meanwhile, a 24-year-old known as Liyana said the industry is becoming increasingly attractive to younger Malaysians, especially students already accustomed to spending long hours on social media platforms.
“We just need to understand how netizens talk and know what is currently trending. If a comment looks too formal, people will easily get suspicious,” she said.
The revelations have intensified concerns over the growing influence of organised online propaganda, misinformation campaigns and coordinated digital manipulation in shaping public discourse in Malaysia’s increasingly polarised political and social landscape. - May 24, 2026