Alex Iskandar Liew – PEMANDU Associates

And On My 100th Day

A guide for a new Prime Minister to deliver on his pledge

Having gone under a tremendous level of political, social and economic strain lately, Malaysia and its new government will need to robustly review the national agenda set after GE14, the policies that were implemented, programmes that were previously scrapped and measures that had been put in place since the transition of power – two times over.

The task of governing and implementing the right public policies, while not an easy task to begin with, is doable. What the new Prime Minister, YAB Tan Sri Dato’ Muhyiddin Yassin requires is an astute list of prioritised initiatives that can be implemented by our able civil service to steer our socio-economic landscape towards the right horizon. Having stepped up to the mantle, he now needs to regain the trust and belief of Malaysians that he, as Malaysia’s 8^th Prime Minister, can deliver.

I urge you to support me to undertake this huge responsibility entrusted on me. Give me a chance to utilise my 40 years of experience in politics and government. I give you my heart and soul.

Give me some time to outline a path under this new administration which I will explain to the people as soon as possible.”[1]

Unfortunately, time is a premium rarely accorded to politicians. The new Cabinet of 32 Ministers and 38 deputies has just been formed – there’s even more pressure now to hit the ground running and live up to the Prime Minister’s promise of forming “a Cabinet that can really give the best service to the people, a cabinet that delivers.”[2]

Here are the top five possible initiatives vis á vis his pledges that he should immediately focus on, in no particular order.

Your To-Do List, Mr Prime Minister

1. “The priority is to increase administrative integrity and management. Fight corruption and abuse of power.”

It is unfortunate that the first week of YAB Tan Sri Dato’ Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration has been fraught with two back-to-back resignations. One from the Attorney General (AG) and the other, the MACC Chief Commissioner. Both posts are integral to instilling administrative integrity, fighting corruption and abuse of power. They have since been filled; Idris Harun is the new AG and Azam Baki has been named the new MACC Chief Commissioner. We can only hope that they will be uncompromising and tireless individuals with a record of advocating against corrupt practices, irrespective of the position or political allegiance of the perpetrators.

2. “I also know what people want is a government that is sensitive and efficient in solving the people’s problems and have the means to meet their daily needs”

The Prime Minister has appointed his cabinet. They should collectively take lessons learnt from the previous administration. Some may not be popular. Some may be a surprise. Some may be begrudgingly accepted by the rakyat. More critically, many Malaysians are expecting them to deliver regardless of party affiliation and hoping that they did not come to power for the sake of assuming power. Because the Prime Minister will need such individuals to help him combat the trust deficit that existed prior to GE14.

3. “I also know the need for quality healthcare services at affordable cost”

This noble pledge is far more complex than it seems. With the Covid-19 Outbreak, the Prime Minister has his work cut out for him. There is an immediate need to stabilise and protect the health of the rakyat before Covid-19 becomes a pandemic.

The Ministry of Health has the second-highest number of civil servants with the second-highest budget allocation in Budget 2020.[3] This was to ensure that Malaysia’s public healthcare industry could keep up with new advances in technology, facilities and outbreaks of undesired viruses.

In a recent article by Dr. Khor Swee Kheng, he offered useful and valid suggestions to the new Prime Minister that the time may well have come for him to consider the unprecedented motion of appointing specialised technocrats who are results-driven, non-partisan and non-ideological to the Ministry of Health.[4]

4. “With my six-year experience as Education Minister, I promise to strengthen the country’s quality of education. I will ensure our children will receive an education which standards are on par with developed nations”

During his term as the Education Minister, YAB Tan Sri Dato’ Muhyiddin Yassin had stepped up, defied critics and went against the grain to implement the dual language programme (DLP). While the use of English in Malaysian schools has always been a subject of debate, the DLP was implemented to preserve the use of Bahasa Malaysia while ensuring that the population’s grasp of the English language continues to improve. English by far is still the language of commerce and communication around the world. While there is continued pushbacks from certain quarters, their criticisms shouldn’t be allowed to jeopardise the aspirations of parents who wish to have their children be proficient in English but may not have the resources to send their children to private or international schools.

Studies have shown that 15% of rural students exposed to DLP (compared to 2% without DLP) reached intermediate English proficiency, and on the other end of the spectrum, only 4% of DLP students (compared to 25% without DLP) fell below the basic proficiency target at the end of preschool.[5] Many teachers have noted that the DLP was able to capture students’ interests in STEM subjects and prepare them for future careers in those fields.[6]

Mohd Radzi Md Jidin has been named as Minister of Education in YAB Tan Sri Dato’ Muhyiddin Yassin’s new cabinet. We hope he will continue his Prime Minister’s good work in paving the way towards improving Malaysian’s English proficiency.

5. “I am a brother to the Malays, the Chinese, the Indians, the Sikhs, the Ibans, the Kadazans, the Dusun, the Murut and those of various ethnicities. I am your Prime Minister. Even if you are a farmer, a fisherman, a trader, a civil servant or a private sector employer, I am your Prime Minister.”

For too long, populist statements of such nature have become standard inclusions into a politician’s manifesto without bearing the conviction and necessary will to come down hard on those who readily play the racial card and assume bigotry. Too often we promote the ideals for Malaysians to be seen as one. Too often we speak of embracing our diversity. Too often we claim that this diversity makes us collectively great, and that we will become a society that will prosper and progress together.

But it is glaringly obvious, that some have not received the memo. If indeed, we aspire for a better Malaysia for our children and our children’s children, then this new leadership needs to start walking the talk.

The rakyat was promised a repeal of draconian acts or laws as part of Pakatan Harapan’s winning political manifesto. This has not quite happened. But why go so far as to enact a law and then find ways to repeal it, when Malaysia already has the well-established Rukun Negara developed and enshrined 50 years ago?

The Rukun Negara has two parts. The first, a pledge that reads,

“Whereby Our Country, Malaysia nurtures the ambitions of: achieving and fostering better unity amongst the society, preserving a democratic way of life, creating a just society where the prosperity of the country can be enjoyed together in a fair and equitable manner, ensuring a liberal approach towards the rich and varied cultural traditions, and building a progressive society that will make use of science and modern technology.”[7]

The second outlines the five principles – Belief in God; Loyalty to the King and Country; Upholding the Constitution; Rule of Law; and Good Behaviour and Morality.

Sadly, these values to teach, construct and mould a Malaysian society that is free from corruption, vengeance, envy and prejudice have been largely ignored and even forgotten by our leaders in recent times – if you can even call over three decades recent.

Perhaps, now is the time for our new Prime Minister and modern day government to return to these principles and construct a manifesto or policy of delivery that do not consist of race or religion-based voter appeal, and is more in line with what the average Malaysian politician wants. The question then becomes, does the new Prime Minister desires to be an average politician or a transformational one? For the sake of a new Malaysia, I hope his answer is the latter, because then we can dream of a united Malaysia once again.

YAB Tan Sri Dato’ Muhyiddin Yassin, you have stood up before the rakyat. Asked all Malaysians to give you a chance and to join you in rebuilding our country and restore its glory. Our faith – and the future of our country – rests in your hands. We sincerely hope you will make the right decisions befitting that of the people’s Prime Minister.

Alex Iskandar Liew, EVP & Partner at PEMANDU Associates and Managing Director of COMMUNICATE by PEMANDU, is a communications activist, who strongly believes that all public manifestos and government plans should be distilled into 3 feet programmes with clear outcomes, tasked to individuals who are driven and willing to be held accountable for their implementation and delivery.

[1]New Straits Times, 2020

[2] Free Malaysia Today, 2020

[3] The Edge Markets, 2019

[4] The Star, 2020

[5] The Malaysian Insight, 2017.

[6] International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering, 2019

[7] MyGovernment, 2016.

Thought Leadership_Public sector communications_v2-01 - b&w

How Effective Public Sector Communications Can Combat Fake News

By Alex Iskandar Liew, EVP & Partner of PEMANDU Associates, and Melissa Wong, Senior Associate

From stories of people taken ill from eating cooked bats and infected mandarin oranges, to reports of biological warfare and sick children being abandoned in airports, the internet has been bombarded with fake news and disinformation arising from the coronavirus. Some are even tips that have been proved to be misleading or false. One such claim, shared over 16,000 times on Facebook, claims that the virus can be prevented by keeping your throat moist and avoiding spicy food. The post claims to be from a Department of Health (DOH) Bulletin issued in the Philippines, but the information does not match the advice posted on the official DOH website which instead advises people to practice proper handwashing and cough etiquette as ways to prevent the virus’ spread.

Today, we live in a world where everyone has more or less equal access to information. On the internet, anyone is a creator of content. This totals up to a lot of voices. Voices that can be very loud due to the viral nature of social media. Voices that are dissenting due to misinformation. And, voices that bears factual inaccuracies. The Verge calls it an epistemic crisis, where large groups of people “muddle along with very different understandings of reality, undermining the ability of elected officials to govern.”[1]

In times of crisis, it’s more important than ever that the voices of public sector agencies and governments be heard over everyone else’s. But even when things are calm, maintaining open communications between the government and the public is a good habit to practice.

The role of communications in governance

The key to good governance is effective communication. While pushing out information is still necessary to government communications, it needs to be paired with the willingness and ability to engage with the public.

Thanks to technology, modes of communications has allowed for the public to be notified about changes in policies and be able to understand the need for such changes. The public wants to be engaged. They also want lightning-fast responses and user-friendly interfaces. And they want to be able to know who will be accountable when things go wrong.

It’s a lot like practicing customer service excellence in the public sector. While being informative and supportive to citizens has always been the duty of the public sector, governments today need to think of the public as a customer – looking at ways to deliver on their promises to a demanding demographic as quickly and as accurately as possible.

This is where a communication strategy can come in. A well-crafted public sector communications programme can:

Improve effectiveness – by building broad support and legitimacy for programmes and policies
Enhance responsiveness – by enabling government agencies to understand and respond to the public’s needs
Ensure accountability – by explaining government stewardship and providing mechanisms to hold governments accountable

The basic principle of any effective communications is trust. Just like businesses, citizens must be able to trust not just what the government is telling them but that the government will engage with them and place them at the core of any policy. In return, public trust makes it easier to build up support for the continuing process of economic and social transformation.

Increasing trust in the government would also help ensure that the government becomes the public’s first point of contact when it comes to sourcing for information. When the people don’t feel that the government is quick enough to respond to current events, they tend to seek out and believe alternative sources of information. This leads to the rapid spread of fake news on social media sites.

How can we create effective public sector communications?

Let’s say that a government has decided to embark on a transformative agenda to improve national development. They’ve done the work to come up with a list of initiatives that need to be implemented to reach their goal. Some of these initiatives are relatively painless to the public. Others are not. So how can they justify themselves to the public?

Good communication starts with a programme. It needs to be connected to a strong identity and a clear message from the start – like a roadmap, for example. A roadmap is a detailed implementation document that defines a goal or desired outcome and includes detailed steps and milestones needed to reach it. It also serves as a communication tool, highlighting and articulating the strategic thinking behind the implementation programme – the how’s, what’s, who’s, when’s and why’s – behind both the goal and the plan for getting there.

But just establishing a true north isn’t going to be enough if the outcomes aren’t being communicated to all stakeholders and benefactors. Keeping details of a project quiet in case performance turns out to be underwhelming does little to inspire trust. Instead, it should be presented through all available mediums of communication available to the government. And be consistent – ensuring that a government speaks in unison by ensuring narratives are streamlined helps establish clear and succinct messaging in today’s cluttered and noisy media space.

Communicating progress and explaining challenges faced along the way does not weaken a government. Rather, it inspires belief and promotes transparency in the discipline of action. It also reassures that public that there has been progress made, even when it’s not immediately visible.

Know your audience

It’s also about tailoring the message to the audience – in this case, the public. The key to effective communications is knowing exactly who the target audience is and what they’re interested in. For example, Metro Trains Melbourne released a multi-platform public service awareness campaign in 2012 called ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ to promote rail safety. The train agency knew that a traditional ‘doom and gloom’ PSA would only repel Australians, which is why they decided to go down the road of making the campaign entertaining, with a catchy song and bright animation, as well as sharable, publishing the video in short bite-sized chunks across multiple platforms. The campaign went viral, racking up millions of views and resulting in a 20% reduction in rail-related accidents year on year.[2]

Knowing your audience and demonstrating that knowledge is one of the most effective ways to connect with and persuade them. Taking the time to consider their situation, analyse their needs and putting forward policies that confront their particular problems shows the public that their needs are being heard and respected.

Be agile

There’s no question that technology has made it easier for public sector agencies and governments to engage the public. Governments today have more means of communication at their disposal than they had fifty years ago. Social media channels like Twitter and Facebook have joined more traditional channels like print and television, offering more options and platforms that could be used for direct, unmediated communications with the public.

Accustomed to fast, frictionless interactions, the public now expects the same level of service quality and communication timeliness from their government. This is the new challenge faced by many public sector agencies. Public sector communication needs to be as good as the best in any industry. It needs to be fast, accurate and able to reach the audience wherever they are.

This is done by knowing what kind of content is best pushed on what channels. Each has their use. Old school government press releases may not reach as many people but are useful for media outlets to get information. In contrast, posting infographics or short videos on sharable platforms like Facebook and Twitter are great ways to disperse information across the general public. Pushing targeted reminders on social media and airing educational videos that promote behaviour change can be the difference between pushing information that can change decisions, outcomes and lives – and advice that goes ignored.

Leverage on social media

One platform in particular that governments should leverage upon is social media. Why? Firstly, platforms like Twitter and Facebook give public sector agencies and governments the chance to engage in direct dialogue with the public. It also gives the people a chance to engage back.

In addition, traditional media platforms are expensive. Social media can be a more cost-efficient platform to communicate, seed and amplify issues that the public needs to know about on a platform that they are already frequenting – and the ability to leverage on data allows governments to tailor content and messaging to a target audience. Studies have found that about half of people in the UK[3] and two-thirds of Americans[4] get their news on social media – and we expect the rest of the world isn’t any different. However, the downside of social media is that a lot of the news circulating on such platforms tends to be inaccurate and unreliable, encouraging the spread of fake news.

Herein lies an opportunity for governments and public sector agencies to step up and assume the lead in delivering both factual and authoritative information. An edge that government social media accounts have over private ones is their access to a massive amount of information such as socio-economic data and research – making it easier for people to recognise their accounts as credible. For example, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has turned its Twitter page into an FAQ resource on the coronavirus, debunking myths like eating garlic to prevent infection. Given widespread global anxiety over the coronavirus, this is both in line with the WHO’s mandate of promoting good healthcare as well as addressing an issue that people are actively searching for on social media.

What has been done?

The role of effective public sector communication is to establish foundation support. With a strong foundation of awareness and understanding, the public will find it easier to distinguish fact from fiction.

The UK has adopted a ‘digital by default’ model in 2012 to make government services so easy to access online that it becomes the natural place for people to go to.[5] It also means being open, transparent, collaborative and being open to service-users (the public) helping to shape the services offered and decision-making processes.[6] For communications, this means designing communications tactics and approaches around the web as a core channel rather than as an afterthought.

Malaysia has also followed suit, launching a multi-pronged approach to address concerns about the coronavirus. Since news of the virus spread, all government channels have been broadcasting information about the disease and preventive measures citizens could take to combat the spread of the disease. This information has been pushed on television, radio, social media as well as through an online news portal, Sebenarnya.my, which had been set up to debunk fake news stories.

Combatting the spread of fake news is one thing. Creating effective public sector communications is still an ongoing process for many governments and agencies around the world. But the prevalence of fake news on the coronavirus has taught us one thing: information (fake or otherwise) spreads extremely quickly on the internet. Effective public sector communications needs to be just as quick and agile to reach the public wherever they are. It needs to be tailored to specific audiences and clearly articulated. And above all, it needs to be engaging and interesting.

An engaged public is a happy one. And when governments keep the public engaged, it’s easier to build trust and assure the public that Big Brother is listening in the right manner and not being offensively intrusive.

[1] The Verge, 2020

[2] AdAge, 2013

[3] Ofcom, 2019

[4] Pew Research Centre, 2018

[5] UK Government Digital Strategy, 2012

[6] NCVO, 2014

The Lost Art of Corporate Storytelling

By Alex Iskandar Liew

“Storytelling is about two things; it’s about character and plot. You want people to think. You want people to be emotionally involved.”

I recently took a brief for a corporate video from a client – and I hadn’t done so for a very, very long time. Mind you, I have made a lot of short films and videos in my time but most of them stem from my personal ideas, creative brief and direction. So, taking a third-party brief and interpreting it was a challenge. It meant I had to deconstruct and simplify an almost 700-word brief to assure focus and ultimately, delivery.

I took the first course of action – to learn about the industry landscape in which this brand resided, review what their competitors are doing, find a plausible position for this brand to establish itself above the noise and clutter. And anchor it against a personal and meaningful narrative.

Video marketing has become a staple and an important component to the success of a business. It is such an essential part of a marketing strategy and helps a business promote their brand, get their important message across, and improve their relations with their stakeholders. More so, in the ever-growing realms of social media, where virality is key.

MR. PHELPS, TEN SECONDS ‘TIL SELF-DESTRUCT

According to a headlined report, “Humans have shorter attention span than a goldfish, thanks to smartphones”. There is a degree of truth to this and from an industry observation, people are watching video content more from their mobile devices than ever before, rather than from their desktops.

The process of looking for content, people are clicking on video links at a faster rate, and deciding what they think is worth watching. This means you only have around 10-15 seconds to grab their attention. So how do you do it?

W11FM

A brief doesn’t need to include the kitchen sink. It just needs to highlight what relevance the corporate entity, brand or even individual, hopes to bring to the audience. And who is this audience? That needs to be defined. We can’t be all things to all people. We are talking about a 2-minute video here marketing itself to people who generally have a 10 to 15-second attention span.

When the video commences, the audience will ask “What’s In It For Me?” That must be the immediate address and basis of the creative development. Take off your corporate, or in this case, your production hat, and put yourself in your audiences’ shoes.

Develop content that audiences can connect to emotionally. Analytics and research illustrate that people share videos they emotionally connect to at a much higher rate than those which contain marketing fluff.

Make it engaging. Storytelling begins and ends with an engaging narrative – one that your audience can relate to, and move them some way. It does not have to always be an emotional experience. It can be thought-provoking. If it can enable your viewers to embrace a new perspective or by way of it being something that will motivate them to keep watching, then we are on the right track.

Remember the goal is to make it memorable video and to get people to take in your whole message, especially since you are likely to include a “call to action” at the end of the video.

SHOW ME MORE SAMPLES!

I disagree with the idea of using video samples to demonstrate direction, competency and the ability to develop and create a marketing video befitting a brand. Many creative agencies choose to take the easy way to deliver “an idea” by borrowing “work” that was previously done – either by themselves or others. This is akin to fitting a square peg in a round hole. And what you may end up with is a homogenous video or what they will call “style”.

Just like any motion picture, the ideation of a video begins with the understanding of a need, then a script, or in our definition, an airtight narrative that can deliver the right idea and message for the brand. Only upon agreeing to that narrative (script) can we create the right accompanying visuals (creative) to deliver the right messaging (direction) utilising the right treatment e.g. graphics, animation, tone and manner, accompanying music and edits (execution).

The process to developing an engaging video is in the storytelling. Like any good story, an effective video should have elements of entertainment.

We must unfold a story before your viewers and allow their imagination to take flight.

Just like in a motion picture, something should stand out for the viewer, whether it is colours, animation, emotional appeal, or just a great story line, focus on what works to keep the attention of even the most indecisive.

The approach is to ensure that our narrative and content holds their own before we consider the treatment. The sum of a strong narrative and content brings together a concept, to which we then consider varying forms of execution to bring the story to life. Concept is the glue that holds any creative execution together. Execution can differ. That is the process.

A great Hollywood filmmaker once said at the Academy Awards, “Just tell a great story. The rest will fall into place.” The same is true of a great marketing video.

SIZE DOESN’T MATTER

The average length of a marketing video is anything from a minute but that usually depends on the delivery of the concept. Go too long and fatigue may set in. Too short and you will lose the desired impact. Critical success is to make the video memorable and I can’t emphasise the importance of a good narrative delivered in the right tone and manner.

Sometimes, being abstract in the right dosage allows a greater following than displaying full frontal nudity. If it’s abstract, an individual should anchor it to relate the story to your viewers. Create nuances of your brand along the storyline. If you have a message to tell, tell it well! Tell it with conviction and believability. Tell it with a bit of heart and soul.

Using a storytelling approach does not mean you need to create the next high budget petroleum festive ad, or finding the budget to match. It just means identifying a simple narrative that conveys your message in a way that your target audience will remember, engage with and act on.

So, how do you come up with a storyline? Well, that’s where we can help!

Click here to view the Manulife Malaysia Anthem of Life video, produced by us

Client: Manulife Holdings Berhad (Manulife Malaysia)

Brief: Develop & produce a corporate video to communicate Manulife Malaysia’s corporate proposition & position

Target audience: Potential customers and the company’s agency force

Engagement Manager: Ellina Badri

Concept & Copy: Alex Iskandar Liew

Production timeline: 4 weeks

Date: January 2018

Transforming Public Sector Communication

It’s experiential. It’s emotive. It’s provocative. The modern age has brought about a new way of communication. Information and newsfeeds are at our fingertips. The opportunity for anything and everything to go viral across ever expanding social media platforms is faster than the speed it takes to verify the authenticity of the source.

All it takes if for a disgruntled and disapproving social media user to have a bad experience with what you say or your service delivery and you’re finished – both online and off.

This is the real challenge faced by most public-sector organisations and governments of the day. Public expectations need to be met. The public demands for credible responses. They demand accountability, transparency and effective delivery. They want action, not promises.

There is an urgency to cut through the clutter and noise, forming a clear and trusted line of messaging, facilitate participation and buy-in.

The guiding principle is openness

Effective public-sector communication is about dialogue. It’s about engaging with individuals and communities at all levels and providing them a platform to voice their views and opinions. It’s about providing action and delivery to meet their needs.

Public sector communication has to be seen and regarded as a service to the general public. Constant engagement to foster participation is needed to build accountability and trust in the Government. Even more so when a Government is embarking on a national transformation agenda.

In any transformation agenda, communication is essential for effective consultation and engagement, informing policy-making and service design. The Government of Malaysia took on a bold new approach to communication in 2012 when they started their national transformation journey.

They were single-minded in promoting effective communication as a behavioural change from within – from the act of doing or implementation – closer integration of policy development, service delivery and communications functions. This ultimate led to better policies and services.

Getting the public to participate and to be informed was crucial in the communication process. Anchored by BFR Methodology’s 8 steps of Transformation, the Government of Malaysia was able to communicate effectively by being:

Inclusive in identifying the issues to resolve through a series of public labs.
Consultative with the public in finalising the solutions.
Accountable in reporting on the transformation delivery progress via monthly public updates and ultimately, the publication of annual reports every year end since 2010.

Political neutrality is a cornerstone of public sector communications.

While clarity and factual presentation of government policies, intended delivery and achievements are important, what helps complete efforts of building public confidence is trust in neutrality. Political neutrality is a cornerstone of public sector communications.

Real time communication

Effective communication has to thus take on a real-time approach. Public sector and government communications must engage with audiences. 24 hours a day. Clearly. Efficiently. It takes a deep dive into the transformation journey, walking the target audience through the transformation process by sharing measurable positive impacts of the beneficiaries periodically and when it happens.

Modern technology offers many tools for direct, unmediated communications with the public but these need to be used effectively. They should be credible, efficient and prompt disseminators of authoritative information. They should answer questions accurately, honestly and completely.

Be as good as the best in any sector. Be fast. Be accurate. Be concise.

All these are done in the hope that greater trust can be built amongst the public sector, government, general public and the media. Government communication needs to be as good as best in any sector. It needs to be fast. Accurate. Concise. And. To reach the audience wherever they are.

Communication is critical to transformation

At the heat of the policy process and public service development is the element of communication. The general public can and will judge the quality of decision and the delivery of services that affects their lives by means of their sight, feel and hearsay. Clarity and regular engagement is critical. Public sector and government organisations must be accountable for what they do, be prepared to explain and defend decisions, and also to admit mistakes.

Public sector and governmental organisations must develop effective communication strategies and engagements that link communications explicitly to the achievement and delivery of their national transformation outcomes. Only then can positive behavioural change exist and thrive.