TAWAU: The uncontrolled spread of information on digital platforms and the lack of critical thinking in evaluating social media content have been identified as major threats contributing to the erosion of moral values, weakening spiritual resilience, and the loss of identity among Sabah’s younger generation.
The United Sabah Islamic Association (Usia) President Datuk Sapawi Ahmad issued the warning, stressing that today’s borderless digital ecosystem exposes internet users, particularly youths, to ideological manipulation, extreme provocations, and the spread of deviant teachings and misleading beliefs.
“The impact of the digital world today has seen members of society, especially young people, becoming more inclined to seek quick solutions, including spiritual guidance, through social media without the guidance of qualified teachers, particularly in the post-Covid-19 pandemic era.
“Yet, social media content is generally questionable and often fails to present facts comprehensively. We are concerned because some individuals no longer value facts and instead prefer fabricated stories and misinformation.
“We also find that much of today’s digital content is exposed to provocative material deliberately designed to corrupt public thinking,” he said when met by reporters during the Tawau Zone Thinkers’ Discourse Programme at the Tawau Community Hall on Saturday.
Sapawi expressed concern that if society continues to use digital platforms without proper control, comprehensive knowledge, and the ability to critically evaluate information, the situation could not only undermine individual morality but also threaten the harmony of the wider community.
He therefore urged social media users in Sabah to reconnect with physical knowledge-sharing programmes such as forums, intellectual discourses, lectures, and dialogue sessions, which allow for mature exchanges of ideas based on verified facts and realities.
“Our culture and way of life in Sabah are very beautiful. Therefore, if there are negative ideas or foreign influences attempting to disrupt our harmony and erode society’s moral values, we must oppose them vigorously through the strength of ideas and sound arguments,” he said.
Sapawi said Sabah’s unique social fabric – where people of different religions, ethnicities, and languages live harmoniously with courtesy, compassion, and high levels of tolerance – must be protected from external influences that seek to spread through digital platforms.
He noted that while the effects of international geopolitical crises, including conflicts in West Asia, are also felt in Malaysia, all parties should be grateful for the country’s economic stability and social unity, which continue to rest on a strong foundation due to good governance.
When asked about the response to the programme, Sapawi said the discourse initiative remains open to individuals, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and representatives of government departments to participate in discussions on critical issues affecting Sabah’s future.
He added that the Tawau Zone was the first destination for the Thinkers’ Discourse Programme and that Usia is committed to expanding it throughout Sabah as a strategic effort to strengthen knowledge, promote rational thinking, and build an informed society.
