Mergawati's comment which appears in The Star on Friday, 25 April 2008

Media feeling frustrated with Foreign Ministry

COMMENT BY MERGAWATI ZULKAFAR

Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim returns to helm foreign affairs after 21 years. Have things changed and improved with regards to public diplomacy during his absence?

"HIGH time." That was the response from a Kuala Lumpur-based foreign journalist when he heard news that Wisma Putra's external information division would be revamped to do effective information and interaction activities as announced by the Foreign Minister.

His sentiment was shared by his peers, local and foreign, who have been unhappy with the way the Foreign Ministry has been disseminating news and responding to the ever-hungry media.

It has been difficult to get an immediate response from Wisma Putra on many a news-breaking event – say a terror attack or insurgents from southern Thailand escaping into Malaysia. The media has to track down the Prime Minister or his deputy, provided they are attending a function on that day.

For those who have covered the Foreign Ministry for years, access to officers is not an issue, but stories often end up with unnamed sources. As any reader knows, a named source adds credibility and authority to the news.

Of course, the ministry does get round to making a statement in reaction to a news event, but it is often a few days late and the world media has already reported what other countries had been saying.

Another opportunity lost by Malaysia to get its view across to the world, often leaving journalists working here frustrated with the Foreign Ministry.

A foreign journalist, who has worked in several Asian capitals, said that Foreign Ministries play an important role in disseminating the Governments' stand.

"During my stint in Thailand several years ago, the Foreign Ministry spokesman there always gave a weekly briefing.

"Here we are left in the dark. Wisma Putra must understand media needs and respond accordingly."

It is heartening to note that Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim appears to understand this.

Lets go back to history. After the May 13, 1969 racial riots, the Government felt there was a need for Malaysia to present its views abroad. At that time Wisma Putra had no information wing.

The Government brought in journalists from RTM and public relations officers as information officers. They served as information attachés abroad to cultivate foreign journalists and correct misperceptions of Malaysia.

With their background, these officers had a better understanding of how the media worked yet they always felt that fellow diplomats regarded them as outsiders.

Years later, a ministry "revamp" led to the division being merged into the ministry. These information officers were given the same opportunities available to diplomatic officers while PTD officers themselves could also serve in the division to learn the ropes of media relations.

However, some information officers felt they were not treated well and decided to leave Wisma Putra.

Did the "revamp" work? Yes and no. Over the years some of the diplomatic officers attached to the division tried their best to understand how the media works, some just refused to do so.

There has been little contact save for the foreign trips by the country's leaders where diplomatic officers would arrange and make it easy for journalists covering these trips to work and travel.

Arranged media briefings on the Government's stand, like the outstanding bilateral issues with Singapore, were few and far between.

This is where officers and, especially the person helming the ministry, must understand that there is a need for a spokesman to deal with the press and answer their queries when the need arises.

The visit of Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej this week left much to be desired.

The media was invited for a briefing organised on the same day as Samak's arrival! And to top it all, the briefing was called off, no explanation forthcoming. Talk about being time sensitive.

The media was left in a lurch and left to wonder about Samak's programme as advance planning is required for media coverage and personnel deployment. A statement by the minister was only issued on the eve of the trip. Well that was just too late for the print media.

There have been countless times when Malaysia or its leaders were badly or poorly portrayed in the Western media. Rather than trying to engage them, present our side of the story and correct the misconception, the ministry often tends to take a tidak apa attitude.

Dr Rais, in his meeting with Malaysian diplomats serving in Africa and Middle East recently said that in a fast changing world, the ministry must be quick to adapt to the changing environment and values, or find itself losing the dynamics for change, hence being irrelevant.

In the light of these views, the media can only hope changes will be made, fast. There is nothing wrong in continuing to be hopeful, right?