KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 (Bernama) -- Selected blue-chip counters trading at attractive valuations helped Bursa Malaysia close higher on Friday, despite cautious market sentiment driven by developments in West Asia, volatility in crude oil prices and uncertainty over the global interest rate outlook. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose by 4.10 points or 0.24 per cent to 1,683.63 compared with Thursday's close of 1,679.53. The key index opened 5.34 points stronger at 1,684.87 earlier today and moved between 1,679.72 and 1,685.39 throughout the session. Market breadth was negative, with losers leading gainers 533 to 479, while 561 counters were unchanged, 1,130 untraded and 33 suspended. Turnover fell to 2.79 billion units worth RM2.31 billion from 3.32 billion units worth RM2.88 billion yesterday.
In a surprising yet strategic move, the Trump administration has officially launched a White House TikTok account (@whitehouse), leveraging the platform's immense popularity to bolster direct communication with younger voters ahead of the 2026 midterms.
From Threat to Tool: TikTok Finds Favor in Trump’s Second Term
President Donald Trump’s prior attempts to force a sale of TikTok due to national security concerns are well documented. However, after returning to office, his administration’s posture has shifted. Trump now views TikTok as a powerful communication channel, especially given its outsized influence during the 2024 presidential campaign, where it played a role in mobilizing youth support.
The White House account launched Tuesday evening with a clip of Trump declaring, “I am your voice,” accompanied by the caption: “America we are BACK! What’s up TikTok?”
ByteDance Sale Delayed — Lawmakers Raise Concerns
Despite the bipartisan 2024 law mandating TikTok to divest its U.S. operations by Jan 19, 2025, Trump has granted three deadline extensions, the latest now pushing the cutoff to Sept 17, 2025. Critics argue this undermines the law’s national security intent.
“The Trump administration is committed to communicating the historic successes President Trump has delivered to the American people, with as many audiences and platforms as possible,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
The original concern — that ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent, could grant Beijing access to U.S. user data — remains unaddressed. Intelligence agencies previously warned that the platform might be weaponized to influence public discourse or collect sensitive user information.
A Platform Strategy Built for Reach
The @whitehouse TikTok account joins Trump’s already robust social media arsenal. His personal campaign TikTok account (@realdonaldtrump) boasts over 15 million followers, while Truth Social remains his primary platform for unfiltered messaging. The president also posts occasionally on X (formerly Twitter).
“We’re excited to build upon our campaign success and communicate in a way no other administration has before,” added Leavitt.
This strategy aims to consolidate Trump’s support among digital-native voters, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, amid a fragmented media landscape.
Outlook: Political Gains vs Security Trade-offs
While the TikTok relaunch offers clear political engagement upside, the decision risks political backlash from lawmakers — especially amid ongoing scrutiny of Chinese tech ownership.
Whether the Trump administration will finalize a U.S.-led acquisition of TikTok remains uncertain. What’s clear is that, for now, the White House is embracing the very platform it once fought to shut down — a pivot that underscores Trump’s pragmatic, if controversial, approach to modern political messaging.
Comments
Post a Comment