Kota Kinabalu: Sabah’s 17th State Election is unfolding at a time when technology is reshaping not only jobs but also democracy itself.
Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Senior Lecturer Azizan H. Morshidi, in his article From Deepfakes to Democracy: Sabah’s Digital Dawn for Unity and Prosperity, warns that the same technologies threatening clerical jobs could also determine the integrity of elections.
“Up to 92 percent of clerical and administrative positions are vulnerable to automation,” Azizan wrote, noting that while these tools pose risks, they also hold potential to strengthen democratic engagement if used responsibly.
Sabah’s public administration still relies on manual processes. “Many district offices use paper-based record-keeping, and intermittent broadband coverage in rural areas has slowed digital uptake,” he observed. This creates a widening digital divide between rural and urban communities.
In urban centres like Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan, companies are already testing AI chatbots.
Yet Azizan cautioned that these often fail when confronted with local dialects such as Kadazandusun or Bajau. “Without investing in nuanced language models and human oversight, automated interfaces frustrate users and erode trust,” he explained.
The bigger danger lies in AI-driven misinformation.
“Deepfake videos have surfaced on messaging apps, falsely depicting infrastructure projects in Sabah as non-functional,” Azizan highlighted. He warned that such content inflames public frustration and risks distorting voter perception.
He added that social-media algorithms can trap young voters in echo chambers. “This echo-chamber effect magnifies sensationalist claims while muting fact-based discourse,” he wrote, stressing that youth turnout could be swayed by fabricated evidence.
Yet Azizan also pointed to opportunities. “AI should be leveraged to amplify human strengths, contextual judgment, empathy, and cultural knowledge, rather than replace them.
“Tools such as predictive analytics can improve water allocation, while natural-language processing could translate election guidelines into Sabahan dialects, provided human oversight ensures accuracy,” he said.
According to Azizan, education is another urgent front, that if Sabah’s youth are to become true stewards of democracy instead of passive data consumers, the state education system must integrate digital-citizenship modules.
“I suggest practical workshops to train communities in spotting manipulated media and using verification tools.
“SMEs also risk being left behind, many shopkeepers and agribusiness operators still rely on cash transactions and manual ledgers.
“Mobile AI-literacy labs, coupled with micro-financing advice, could help grassroots innovation and resilience,” he said.
Protecting election integrity requires cooperation. Azizan welcomed the election commission’s efforts to work with social media companies against false posters but called for broader safeguards.
“Local research centres and university laboratories should install AI-powered monitoring systems that flag suspicious content in real time.
“I challenge political parties to take the lead, a public-pledge initiative could require each candidate to commit to zero tolerance for AI-generated misinformation,” he suggested, adding that candidates who use AI ethically should be recognised.
Civil society, too, has a role to play. Azizan encouraged hackathons and community projects to channel Sabah’s cultural strengths into technological solutions.
“These events foster inter-ethnic collaboration and surface solutions grounded in lived experience. For young voters, the stakes are high, they can either succumb to manipulated narratives that breed cynicism or rise as digital champions who demand transparent governance and equitable development,” he said.
As Sabahans prepare to cast their votes, Azizan concluded: “They are not merely casting ballots on infrastructure plans or party platforms; they are choosing how Sabah will navigate the 21st-century challenges of automation, misinformation, and digital inclusion.”In his view, the outcome of PRN17 will shape not just the state’s political direction but also the future of democracy and prosperity in East Malaysia.