'No knee jerk reactions,' MY PM Dept's head of comms Faidz Sanusi on media, tech and news

If there's one thing public relations (PR) professionals needs to be, it's adaptable.

Malaysia's dynamic communication landscape is ever evolving, with factors such as technological advancements, shifting media paradigms and an increasingly engaged public often reshaping communication strategies. At the heart of this evolution is social media - a powerful tool that can shape public opinion, mobilise moments and influence political discourse.

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"One such person who has remained cognisant of these changes is Faidz Sanusi, the head of communications at the Prime Minister's Department (PMD) in Malaysia. Sanusi took on the role earlier last month, moving from the performance acceleration and coordination unit, Prime Minister's Office.

Speaking on the opening fireside chat at MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's PR Asia conference in Malaysia, Faidz said that throughout his career, "adaptability has been the key".

"Adaptability is not just a personal trait but a testament to the potential for growth and challenges," he shared. Prior to becoming the head of communications at the PMD, Faidz served as CEO of Perbadanan Stadium Asia. The pivot, according to Faidz was "both a challenging and rewarding experience".

Now, Faidz works with the Prime Minister of Malaysia where it's "34 hours of action". Below, we find out more about Faidz' views on adapting to AI and new tech in the evolving PR landscape:

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What is your relationship with areas such as AI and new tech?

Faidz: The AI space is not just a sector. It's a global mission area. We are essentially in the infant stage of technology that has the potential to grow, to transform the way we communicate.

So, in the media space, and for someone like me who works in the public sector, it is about ensuring that the mind of the mighty is knowledgeable about the possibility AI brings daily.

We are in an age where tech is advancing at a pace never seen before in the history of civilisation. The beautiful thing about tech is that it tends to democratise the playing field. Anyone with access to a smartphone today is a creator so, it is imperative that the public sector, including my team or my office, fully embrace this technological revolution.

We must keep pace, keep up with its advancement and reach out to serve the right factors.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What is your take on the role of social media and the impact it has on the government, politics and people? We have seen it bring down governments, such as in Bangladesh which we recently saw. How does Malaysia see its relationship with social media giants?

Faidz: What social media does is it actually allows people to strategise their life and reach potential outcomes.

In the example of Bangladesh for example, because there was already an air of this protest, injustice prevailing, these foundations allowed for social media to be used as a tool to demand justice for the people.

I mentioned before that the technology democratises the commission. Social media allows everyone to be a storyteller, producer and director. That is an immense power that the government needs to see. The government acknowledges that this democratisation is good for the nation, not just the people.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: For investors to feel safe putting their dollars and cents into Malaysia, there needs to be a certain amount of stability conveyed about Malaysia through the press. How do you balance that with media freedom?

Faidz: Indeed, our political landscape is dynamic, and this vibrancy is part of our rich democratic tradition. In most countries, in five years cycle elections, more often than not, governments change. This is part and parcel of democracy and indicates state systemic stability.

The Malaysian electorate is a mature one. Our politics is dynamic. However, the dynamism of our politics rarely affects overall stability.

Over many decades, we have built government infrastructure that works well for the private sector. Global players appreciate the system we have put in place. Our job as communicators is to reaffirm this strength and, this is the most important thing, leave the politics to the politicians and to the charlatans.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What do you do to maintain the positive relationship with the media?

Faidz: Engagement is key. That's the most important.

You must anticipate from whatever announcement that will be made or whatever action that will need to be taken by the government so that you don't have be a reactive kind of PR practitioner, especially from the government sector. No knee jerk reactions.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Given the multi-ethnic society that we have, how do you ensure that the communication that's coming out is always culturally sensitive and inclusive?

Faidz: Relax, respect and respond.

If we all agree and accept that the federal constitution remains the base of all debate and discussion in the 3R, then there should be ample evidence for a healthy discourse like this one.

If critical analysis leads to controversy, we should allow it and deal with it mutually and constitutionally. If one creates controversy for attention and narcissism, then the country's laws are clear on the consequences.

Suppose we respect the base of the constitution and adhere to critical thinking for improvement and justice, discourse can remain constantly sensitive. I believe the government and our communication standard will benefit from this constructive debate.

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