Crossing the Threshold of General Public Relations Practices: Assessing Malaysia’s Experience in the First Quarter of the Millennium

Abstract

Public Relations (PR) is nothing new to the present day global community. In fact, mankind had exercised PR since the day they first decided to live together. Since then, an essential beacon of wisdom in the history of mankind was planted. The birth of the modern PR began in 1948 when the Public Relations Society of America and the Institute of Public Relations in Britain were founded. Today, the influence of this communication field has engulfed almost all professions of global organizations. Majority of these organizations apply the PR principles and practices into their organizational structures. This paper begins with the historical backgrounds of the international PR culture, studies, and definitions. From there, the discussion penetrates deeper into the realm of the Malaysian PR culture. This analysis deals with many aspects of the PR, i.e. professional ethics, social and legal contracts, aimed at giving a considerably critical understanding of the Malaysian PR culture, which differs in definitions and practices. At the end of this paper, readers are presented with an overview of contemporary threats and challenges facing the field. This concept paper deals with the past, the present, and the future uncertainties of the PR field. Whether we are aware or not, PR today has been tremendously used for managing social stress in view of globalization. Yet, the forces of tolerance and brotherhood grant the country confidence in facing future challenges and threats. Indeed, the world of global PR is changing inconsiderately. Come what may, Malaysian has chosen to toughen up for a journey of her own in the wake of PR uncertainties.

Malaysian Muslims’ Communication Culture At the Verge of New Media Frontiers

“…Today, new media has become an imperative tool in nurturing new communication culture for Malaysians at large. In the past vicennial, our wireless voice communication had significantly expanded, and this phenomenon had been foreseen since year 2000 (Rahman & Hashim, 2022). Since then, more and more Malaysian Muslims becoming information-savvy.…”

“…Referring to data from Digital 2023: Malaysia DataReportel, there are 33.03 million Internet users in Malaysia (as in January 2023), with the penetration rate of 96.8 percent from the total population (retrieved 11 August 2023, 11:05am MYT). The immense success in expanding Malaysia's digital frontiers may be attributed to the hard works of Malaysian government since 1999, when three influential factors of the ICT development were underlined and managed (Rahman & Hashim, 2022).…”

“…Since 2006, ICT developments had necessitated changes in family, social, economic, political, and governmental structures -creating and facilitating new values (Guan, 2006). As Muslims, we should always be on the lookout for adverse consequences and sometimes, we should even reverse certain globalization trends in order to ensure that these adverse consequences will not befall us (Rahman & Hashim, 2022).…”

“…Mastering the realities of the new media is never a worn-out cliché. Despite the traditional globalization begun when Ferdinand Magellan circumnavigated the globe and eventually resulted in mass colonization, the new era of globalization today seems to be far more threatening (Rahman & Hashim, 2022). Today's globalization via new media should be handled more wisely, and must only be welcomed when it serves the interest of everyone at large.…”

Escalation of News Reading Preference In The Post Vicennial Era of New Media Revolution

“…This potential for providing information services will result in the fastest growing market today. Wireless technologies are seen as the prime movers in the telecommunications arena (Rahman & Hashim, 2022). Globally to date, almost all universities have built wireless networks on their campuses.…”