Abstract: Politics, as the domain of government and decision-making, is profoundly entwined with the power and influence of word-of-mouth (WOM), which can potentially lead to meaningful developments within communities. WOM should not be undervalued as it may act as a potent force that creates a ripple effect, amplifying individual voices and drawing attention to critical matters through the sharing of experiences, concerns, and information. As a channel for both public service and political engagement, Pusat Komuniti MP Ipoh Timor-ADUN Pasir Pinji serves as a hub for offering assistance, serving, and engaging with residents. To gain an understanding of the social structure and identify some of the community issues, this research aims to analyze the distribution patterns of online WOM and conduct content analysis to explore the reported issue themes, demographic factors, and their associations. The study involves analyzing 40 WOM samples using descriptive and inferential statistics, as well as a chi-square test. Based on the key findings, the major issue themes were determined to be road potholes (35%), illegal waste management (25%), and clogged drainage (20%), among all issues. As compared to Pasir Puteh, the rural area of Pasir Pinji is more susceptible to local matters, accounting for an estimated 77% of WOM cases, likely due to its larger population and lack of infrastructure. Reported issue themes were found to be significantly associated with gender and location (p < 0.05), suggesting that these demographic traits may be influential factors. Indeed, the analysis of WOM can reveal useful insights into community concerns, inform political efforts, and guide the development of policies. By embracing the values of democracy, this research upholds HARAPAN’s slogan, “to serve, to lead, with actions,” highlighting the essence of proactive, responsive, and effective governance in serving society as a whole.
Keywords: Distribution, content analysis, word-of-mouth (WOM), Pusat Komuniti MP Ipoh Timor-ADUN Pasir Pinji, politics, community, “to serve, to lead, with actions”.
Title: Distribution Patterns and Content Analysis of Online Word-of-Mouth at Pusat Komuniti MP Ipoh Timor-ADUN Pasir Pinji, Malaysia
Author: Stephanie Kew Yen Nee
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
Vol. 12, Issue 2, April 2024 - June 2024
Page No: 103-110
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 07-May-2024
