MALAYSIAN GOVT MULLS INTRODUCING PR ACT

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government is mulling
introducing a Public Relations (PR) Act to protect and recognise PR
professionals just like in other professional fields.

Information Communication and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim
said to realise the goal, his ministry had asked the Information Department and
the Institue of Public Relations Malaysia (IPRM) to quickly draw up the terms of
reference including the powers to be vested and benefits.

Towards the end, he said a steering committee needed to be set up as soon as
possible to study all aspects of the legislation before being forwarded to the
Cabinet.

"As it is a profession involving various fields of expertise, public
relations officers should be given the appropriate recognition and one way of
doing this is through legislation," he said when delivering an address entitled
"Role and Responsibilities of PR practitioners in Realising 1Malaysia and
launching a book authored by IPRM president Mohd Hamdan Adnan, here
Wednesday.


Dr Rais said before this there had been question marks as to the proper
definition of the profession and that this would be addressed in the act to
avoid any misinterpretations.

He added that the legislation would lead to the profession having highly
regarded individuals in terms of knowledge, capability and character.

-- BERNAMA