Kuala Lumpur – A three-day international public relations conference is set to convene from November 13 to November 15 at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, gathering around 1,000 delegates, including 200 international participants and 100 university representatives.
The event is organised by the Public Relations Practitioners Society of Malaysia (PRactitioners) in collaboration with seven associations. Chairman P. Kamalanathan highlighted the central mission of the gathering: to strengthen the industry and raise its profile within and beyond the region. “We have been building other people’s brands, image and industry, but our profession itself needs elevation,” he said at a press briefing held in Petaling Jaya.
A diverse programme awaits participants, featuring panel discussions, workshops, exhibitions, and masterclasses on both verbal and non-verbal communication. Industry leaders and experts from the United Kingdom, the United States, and other regions are expected to bring global perspectives to the conversation.
The conference will be officially inaugurated by Sultan Nazrin Shah, the Sultan of Perak, who will also deliver the keynote address on November 13. A highlight of the event will be a dialogue session dedicated to ASEAN students, offering an opportunity to discuss the future of communication within their respective countries.
Organisers see the conference as a vital platform to exchange expertise and address emerging challenges in the communications landscape, from the threat of fake news to the rapid rise of social media and innovations transforming the industry. Kamalanathan expressed his hope that the forum will inspire collaboration across borders and help elevate professional standards.
In addition to regional participation, the event has attracted support from leading organisations, including the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and the Public Relations and Communications Association Asia Pacific branch. It has also received endorsement from the Human Resource Development Corporation.
Memorandums of understanding have been signed with key partners, such as the National Press Club, the Malaysian Institute of Management, and the Malaysian HR Forum, signalling stronger institutional support for the profession. Organisers are already considering making the event biennial and exploring the potential to expand it on a regional scale in the years to come.
