Negotiating Belonging in Digital Spaces: Social Media Practices of Malaysian Diaspora Communities Abroad

Abstract

The Malaysian diaspora, estimated at more than two million globally (World Bank, 2022), increasingly relies on digital platforms to sustain kinship, cultural identity, and transnational engagement. Social media particularly WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok has emerged as an indispensable tool for maintaining ‘silaturahim’, a Malay cultural value centred on social bonds and reciprocity. Unlike earlier diasporic practices limited to letters or occasional phone calls, today’s communication is marked by immediacy, intimacy, and visibility, enabling what Madianou (2022) terms “ambient co-presence.” This shift highlights how diasporic belonging is continuously redefined through digital interactions. Beyond the personal sphere, Malaysian diaspora communities are active participants in political and cultural debates. These practices illustrate how social media functions as both a bridge to the homeland and a platform for transnational political communication (Treré and Milan 2022).  At the intersection of tradition and modernity, diasporic Malaysians construct hybrid identities that negotiate between cultural rootedness and global belonging. Younger generations frequently adopt cosmopolitan practices shaped by host societies, while older members emphasise cultural preservation. This generational tension underscores Stuart Hall’s (1990) view of identity as a process rather than a fixed essence. In this context, Malaysia’s recent Madani framework, which promotes inclusivity and shared values, offers a potential lens for understanding diaspora engagement. By harnessing digital literacy and fostering inclusive online spaces, the Malaysian diaspora can evolve as a vital extension of national belonging, simultaneously rooted in heritage and attuned to global realities.