Political Trust among First Time Voters in Malaysia's Multiracial General Election
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37134/perspektif.vol18.1.4.2026Keywords:
Politic, Image, Service, Reputation, Vote, ElectionAbstract
The Barisan Nasional government in Malaysia governed for 61 years, making it one of the longest-serving administrations in the world until it was defeated by the Pakatan Harapan coalition in the 14th and 15th general elections. First-time voters play a critical role in shaping election outcomes. This study aims to examine the factors influencing the trust of first-time voters in political parties and investigate any differences in political trust between genders. The research focuses on first-time voters, specifically students at a prominent university in Kelantan, Malaysia. Using a stratified sampling method, questionnaires were distributed to 319 selected first-time voters. The study employs Multiple Linear Regression and Independent T-test for data analysis. The findings reveal that party image (β=0.326), party services (β=0.215), and party reputation (β=0.447) significantly (p-value<0.05 affect political trust, with party reputation being the most influential factor. Additionally, there is no statistically significant difference in political trust between genders (T=1.06, p-value=0.29). These insights are expected to help political parties build trust among first-time voters and inform strategic planning for future elections.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Mohd Azry Abdul Malik, Nur Sabrina Izzati Hazmi, Siti Zulaikha Zulkafli, Nur Zainiera Khusni, Mohd Rahimie Md Noor, Nor Fatihah Abd Razak, Nur Syaliza Hanim Che Yusof, Jasrul Nizam Ghazali
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