In synergy: A Concorde Club session with Ramanan (fourth from left) flanked by Star Media Group chief content officer Datin Paduka Esther Ng and Wong at Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: The government should engage with the media before making major public announcements in order to establish a coherent narrative, a deputy minister has suggested.
Datuk R. Ramanan said each ministry has an in-house corporate communications unit whose role is to ensure effective liaison with the media.
He suggested holding “prepping sessions” with senior editors to brief them in advance before launching a major government policy.
“When a shock is sent to the system, people tend to react differently, compared with if you gave them a chance to ask questions and be comfortable with it,” the Deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister told a Concorde Club meeting held here yesterday.
The Concorde Club is an informal group of editors and senior journalists meeting with politicians and key policymakers.
Ramanan said it was important for the government not to be complacent when it comes to tackling social media.
“We have to give a lot of importance to social media and not take it for granted because it is very easy to lose your position in the government tomorrow,” he cautioned.
Ramanan, the Sungai Buloh MP who is the PKR deputy information chief 1, said Pakatan Harapan has had to make many compromises on some of its principles because it was part of a unity government comprising various parties, including those from the Barisan Nasional (BN), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Gabungan Parti Sabah (GRS).
He said the situation could not be compared with BN in the past, adding that at that time, there were not more than 20 parties.
“It is a totally different atmosphere and climate now, so the compromises that have to be made are far greater compared to what it was before,” he added.
Ramanan said he believed that the Madani government enjoyed the support of the Malays, but its ability to retain or increase such backing will depend on the performance of the national economy.
“In order for us to hold on to the reins of government, the economy will be one of the key factors, besides bread-and-butter issues,” he added.
Previous guests of the Concorde Club, led by Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, have included senior ministers and government leaders.
