Connectedness of Malaysian Students in Indonesia Through Social Media

This research identifies the motivation behind the connection between Malaysian students studying at the Faculty of Da'wah and Communication at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta through social media. This research aims to provide recommendations to strengthen positive cooperation in the field of education between Malaysia and Indonesia. Although much research has been conducted on the Malaysian diaspora, this paper is novel by highlighting a specific aspect of the subject that rarely receives attention, namely the diaspora who are still students. Using a case study approach, the qualitative research method uses interviews as a data collection tool based on the Uses and Gratification theory. The research results show that Malaysian students are connected through social media with several motivations, such as diversion, personal relationships, personal identity, and surveillance. They use social media as an escape through culinary content, a means of sharing recommendations for tourist attractions, strengthening religious and national identity, and monitoring current conditions in both Indonesia and Malaysia.