Bernama, MTVET Media Course Sharpens Govt Officers’ Communication Skills

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 (Bernama) -- Government officers have lauded the Media Engagement course, organised by the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) in cooperation with the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training Council (MTVET), saying the course successfully boosted their confidence as credible spokespersons.

A total of 20 officers from various agencies, including the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities, the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives, and the Ministry of Education, attended the two-day course, which began on Wednesday at the Bernama Centre for Excellence in Wisma Bernama.

Participants were introduced to media relations techniques and took part in media simulations conducted by Bernama TV Channel and Content manager Wan Syahrina Wan Ab Rahman and Bernama TV host Ally Iskandar Mohd Mardzi.

MITI’s senior principal assistant, Dr Wong Wai Khuen, said the course was a worthwhile opportunity, with content that was engaging and relevant.

“This is my first time participating in a training of this kind…The course was helpful, especially in developing skills as a spokesperson,” he said on the last day of the training yesterday.

Wong said the course opened new avenues for MITI to evaluate how messages are conveyed to the public, particularly regarding TVET programmes.

“MITI’s communications are more focused on the industry as the primary stakeholder. I am now ready to expand my knowledge through courses like this, particularly in crisis management as a ministry spokesperson,” he said.

According to him, the course is a first step to strengthen the ministry’s strategic communications capabilities, particularly in addressing current issues and conveying polices effectively to the public and stakeholders.

Meanwhile, head of the electrical, computer, and printing department at the Advanced Technology Training Centre (ADTEC), M.Ganeson, who actively participates in Tamil language programmes on media platforms including Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) and Astro,  admitted that before joining the course, he did not have in-depth knowledge of strategically delivering messages through mainstream media.

He said the course broadened his perspective on the importance of adapting delivery styles, avoiding formal tones while remaining informative and engaging for the audience, adding that he acquired new techniques such as the framing technique, the editorial process, and ways to speak to ensure messages are conveyed effectively.

Meanwhile, Wan Syahrina said the course is an important initiative to empower government agency spokespersons, particularly in meeting the communication challenges of the digital era and the need to convey policies effectively to the public.

She said the course was designed to help participants understand the media workflow, including how news is structured and broadcast across various platforms such as newspapers, television, radio, and social media.

According to Wan Syahrina, participants also learned communication techniques with journalists and methods to convey technical information in a way that the public can easily understand.

“Conveying facts to the media requires different skills, more than simply knowing the content of policies,” she said, adding that the training also included media interview simulations.

-- BERNAMA