KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 (Bernama) -- The next time you log on to your Facebook page, you could be prompted to check out greetings and messages from young men and women, identifying themselves as Gerakan members.

In all probability, these youngsters are genuine Gerakan members.

They are merely putting across their thoughts and insights on political happenings in the country, with a special focus on their party, over a medium most favoured by IT-savvy Malaysians, especially the younger generation.

These Gerakan members, aged 30 and below, have been sanctioned by the party leadership to use social networking websites such as the Facebook to reach out to young Malaysians.

Their aim is to create political awareness and shape public opinions on political parties, as well as to encourage the young to join Gerakan.

"We have a group of young members who set up an e-group, using the Facebook as a powerful medium to interface and organise activities. They showed us how young people organised activities, using the net and convinced us how powerful a tool the Internet is," Gerakan secretary-general Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye told Bernama Wednesday.

The former deputy information minister said party leaders were somewhat taken aback to discover, through these young party members, that the younger Malaysians were optimising the benefit of the Internet to the fullest.

"You can say it was a culture shock of sorts, to some leaders. Previously, we thought they were only interested in fun activities but little did we realise that they were independent, confident and adventurous in making decisions," noted Chia.

He said the party's three-day, brain-storming session held at the Gerakan headquarters last weekend was an eye-opener when its leaders discovered from comments posted on the Facebook that young Malaysians were politically-aware and used the net to post their thinking and beliefs.

"The party allows these young members to use such social networking websites to convince young Malaysians to join the party. We also want our young members to think critically, be knowledgeable and well-read on other mediums, including the conventional media," added Chia.

Facebook is an access-free, social networking website launched on Feb 4, 2004, allowing users to join networks to connect and interact with other people.