Prompt, Effective Communications Crucial To Building Trust - TNB

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) – Malaysia’s power company Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) prioritises serving the public effectively and gaining their lasting trust as its measure of effective communications, particularly when problems arise.

“When incidents occur, Malaysians need to know what happened, what is being done and when normalcy will be restored,” TNB's Head of Group Corporate Communications Samsul Ariffin Zainuddin said.

He said for an organisation of TNB's scale and public mandate, these are not communication principles in isolation but operating principles on how the company fulfils its responsibility to the nation.

“For TNB, the measure of effective communications is not reach or sentiment (but) whether Malaysians feel seen, informed and served by the institution that exists to power their lives,” he said.

TNB reportedly serves more than 11 million customers, which makes effective communication essential to fulfil its public responsibility.

Samsul Ariffin said this when sharing TNB's position on one of the most pressing questions facing communication practitioners today, and how institutions build trust that lasts, at the recent two-day conference “Connect & Influence 2026”.  

The conference stressed that in a world shaped by rapid changes, rising stakeholder expectations and digital disruption, the role of corporate communications has never been more critical.

In his presentation entitled “Beyond the Campaign: When Experience Becomes Your Most Powerful Asset,” Samsul Ariffin addressed the principles of speed, consistency and authenticity as the foundation of credible institutional communications.

He said TNB's work brings these principles to life.

”It is an example of what becomes possible when a national institution invests genuinely in the communities it serves, creating experiences that carry public meaning well beyond the programme itself,” he said.

Samsul said TNB's approach to incident communications, whereby, as a national utility, clear and timely communication during disruptions is a public responsibility. 

Here, he reiterated that the public should be fully informed and reassured promptly. Samsul Ariffin said TNB's response framework ensures that public communication and operational recovery run concurrently from the first moment an incident is confirmed.

This is why Malaysians depend on TNB not only for power, but for the assurance that when something goes wrong, they will not be left without answers.

TNB's commitment to the nation extends beyond energy, he said, adding that “it is reflected in every programme we build, every community we serve and every moment we show up, reliably and with accountability, for the Malaysian public.” 

-- BERNAMA