PMK Serves As Two-way Communication Platform, Fifth Edition Attracts 4,200 Visitors

GEORGE TOWN, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- The MADANI Kita Programme (PMK), implemented nationwide, serves as a two-way communication platform to bring the government closer to the people at the grassroots level.

Community Communications Department (J-KOM) director-general Mohd Hisyamuddin Ghazali said PMK aimed to ensure that government messages, policies and initiatives were conveyed directly to the people, while also providing them with an avenue to voice their views and needs.

"PMK, which began on June 27, also brings together various ministries, departments and government agencies to bring government services and information closer to the community, as well as provide direct services to the people, especially at the grassroots level.

"This is what we emphasise and that is J-KOM's focus, namely two-way communication between the people and the government so that there is input from the people directly to the government and from the government to the people," he said at the PMK Bersama Komuniti MADANI Kita Batu Maung@Bayan Baru programme at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Ara here today.

The fifth edition of PMK, organised by J-KOM together with the Performance Acceleration Coordination Unit (PACU) of the Prime Minister's Department, was officiated by Penang Islamic Religious Council Wakaf chief executive officer Abdul Mohsein Mohd Shariff.

Mohd Hisyamuddin said the response to PMK Batu Maung@Bayan Baru, which brought together more than 30 Federal and state agencies as well as government departments, was very encouraging, with more than 4,200 people attending, surpassing the minimum target of 2,000 participants set by J-KOM for each programme with the same allocation.

He said the turnout was among the highest recorded so far compared with the four previous PMK editions held in Chuah, Negeri Sembilan; Kota Raja, Selangor; Sepanggar, Sabah and Simpang Pulai, Perak.

He also said that J-KOM had been tasked with implementing 17 PMK programmes nationwide this year, but there had been proposals to increase the number in view of the encouraging response, subject to consideration of its workforce capacity and implementation capabilities.

Meanwhile, he said J-KOM would place greater emphasis on disseminating government information through social media as part of the department's new communication approach.

"We will focus 70 per cent of government information and messages through social media, while the remaining 30 per cent will be through programmes such as this, and this will be implemented alongside face-to-face programmes to ensure government communication is not merely one-way but also takes into account feedback from the people," he said.

The PMK Batu Maung@Bayan Baru programme also featured various activities, government services, special sales and activities for the whole family, including Jualan Rahmah and the distribution of Bakul Rahmah to those in need.

-- BERNAMA