A netnographic analysis of online active commentaries on Malaysia’s tobacco generation end game

Abdul Raob, Noor Asilati and Mohd Radzi, Nawwal Alwani and Nik Mohamed, Mohamad Haniki and Md Sabri, Budi Aslinie (2025) A netnographic analysis of online active commentaries on Malaysia’s tobacco generation end game. BMC Public Health, 26 (1). pp. 1-22. E-ISSN 1471-2458

	PDF - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (2MB) | Request a copy
	PDF (Scopus) - Supplemental Material Restricted to Registered users only Download (182kB) | Request a copy
	PDF (WOS) - Supplemental Material Restricted to Registered users only Download (340kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Background The Generation End Game (GEG) policy in Malaysia aimed at establishing a smoke-free generation, and the announcement has since sparked significant public response. This study analysed Malaysian active commenters' perceptions expressed in social media comments on online news articles concerning the Generation End Game (GEG) policy, from the initial announcement of the implementation plan to its eventual removal from the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill 2023. Methods This cross-sectional study employed qualitative and quantitative methods and used an inductive approach and thematic content analysis to analyse online commentaries on news articles published on popular online news portals from January 2022 to January 2024. Data was collected by downloading the commentaries onto Microsoft Word and importing them into NVivo. Results A total of 7450 commentaries were analysed across three distinct timeframes: the initial announcement, the official announcement and the period following the removal of the GEG provision from the Bill. The analysis revealed that support for the policy accounted for 43.0%, 70.4%, and 67.9% of commentaries across the respective timeframes, while opposition was noted with 57.0%, 29.6%, and 32.1% respectively. Conclusions Although initial reactions to the GEG policy were largely negative, the increase in support following the official announcement and subsequent policy changes suggests that transparent communication, political developments, and public discourse significantly influence the policy’s acceptance. These findings highlight the dynamic nature of active commenters' opinions in response to policy developments and underscore the importance of engaging the public early and consistently when introducing major health policies .

Item Type:	Article (Journal)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Tobacco control, Tobacco endgame, Tobacco policy, Generation end game
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA644.3 Chronic and Noninfectious Diseases and Public Health
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Pharmacy Kulliyyah of Pharmacy > Department of Pharmacy Practice
Depositing User:	Professor Dr. Mohamad Haniki Nik Mohamed
Date Deposited:	04 Mar 2026 13:09
Last Modified:	04 Mar 2026 13:09
Queue Number:	2026-03-Q2418
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/127749

Actions (login required)

View Item