Corporate Profile

Who we are
Asia Public Relations Sdn Bhd (Asia PR) is an independent public relations, public affairs and strategic communications company.
Asia PR also operates internationally through associate public relations and public affairs companies in the UK, US, India and Australia.
At Asia PR, public relations campaigns are prepared with a logical sequence, research and analysis, followed by planning and strategy, management and implementation and finally evaluation and refinement. To meet pre-set objectives, various PR techniques are employed including;
• General Counselling – to help a client understand the media environment besides drawing up effective communications programmes;
• Media Relations – to generate positive editorial coverage in print and electronic media for a client through news releases, photo stories, feature articles, news conferences, interviews and talk shows.
• Market Support – assisting in new product of service introductions, product publicity, consumer trade and dealer communications and sales force communications.
• Special Events – management of special events such as launchings, plant openings, seminars, conferences, exhibitions and community projects.
• Editorial Services – research and preparation of speeches, conference papers and other oral and written presentations.
• Financial Relations – communications advice on the investing public , liaison with financial media, annual and interim reports, corporate fact books, communications aspects or mergers and acquisition, organisation of investment presentations.
• Strategic Communications – strategically managing corporate public images and guiding corporations in the overall business environment.
• Training – we train corporate communications’ units, their personnel, their heads, senior management personnel and even CEOs on communications and media engagement and a host of other topics in technical, academic, theoretical and practical environments.
ASIA PR has a reputation that goes back 20 years and it has rejuvenated itself over the years and has now undergone a metamorphosis to keep abreast of the changing times, technologies and psychologies involved in keeping with current PR practices.

OUR TRACK RECORDS
A. IPOs
1. SCOMI GROUP BERHAD – A diversified Group, with main business in oil & gas, was advised by Asia PR for their IPO’s communications need. The Group was listed on the Second Board on May 13, 2003 and has become one of the most watched counters at Bursa Malaysia.
2. VOIR HOLDING BERHAD – Primarily involved in designing, developing, branding, marketing and retailing of numerous brands of apparels and accessories. Asia PR was on board to advise them during their Second Board listing at Bursa Malaysia. Considered as a big challenge as the listing was done when the businesses of retailed apparel and accessories were not seen as the ‘darling’ stocks of the Bourse.
3. TALAM CORPORATION – Asia PR was specially engaged to advise the communications of the restructuring exercise for Talam in line with its intention to segregate all property-related projects under the banner of Talam whilst its other public-listed company, Europlus Berhad, undertakes the infrastructure-related projects.
4. WAH SEONG CORPORATION – Asia PR had the opportunity to advise the communications need of this well-diversified group of companies, principally involved in the provision of highly specialised pipe coating services for the oil and gas industry, manufacturing of steel pipes for the oil and gas and infrastructure sectors, manufacturing and distribution of building materials, provision of industrial engineering services and others.
5. SUMATEC RESOURCES – Asia PR was engaged by this Malaysian investment holding company, whose subsidiaries are involved in integrated multi-disciplinary construction packages for the oil and gas industry sector, to advise them on their IPO communications need.
6. Other public-listed companies: Ayamas Holdings, Reliance Pacific, Oilcorp and Premium Nutrients.

B. GOVERNMENT LINKED INITIATIVES / COMPANIES
1. PENANG SECOND CROSSING BRIDGE – Asia PR is currently engaged to advise UEM Builders, to manage the public’s perception of the 24 km-bridge project.
2. LANGKAWI INTERNATIONAL DIALOGUE (LID) – Asia PR was engaged to advise the PM’s Department in initiating the inaugural LID in 1995, and was engaged again in 1999 to co-ordinate the disseminating of information to the local and foreign media.
3. NATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY CORPORATION (NPC) – An important agency under the purview of MITI. The agency engaged Asia PR to help them elevate their PR capabilities, especially in the areas of strategising and media relations.

C. GOVERNMENT
1. SIGNING CEREMONY BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF CAMBODIA & MALAYSIAN CORPORATIONS – Asia PR was given the privilege to advise an important event that involved three Prime Ministers – Tun Dr Mahathir from Malaysia and Hun Sen & Prince Ranarridth, the co-Premiers of Cambodia. The three PMs witnessed an important signing ceremony between the Cambodian Government and Malaysian corporations at a leading hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
2. MINISTRY OF DOMESTIC TRADE & CONSUMER AFFAIRS – Advised and evaluated the Ministry on their ‘Pengguna Bijak’ campaign, and proposed ways to improve or make the campaign better.
3. KUWAIT GOVERNMENT IN EXILE – Asia PR was engaged to advise the Ambassador of Kuwait in Malaysia, to ‘remind’ Malaysians of their suffering during the first Gulf War.

D. CRISIS
1. MEDIHARTA – Asia PR helped manage the public’s perception during the introduction and initial implementation of Meditag, a state of the art security tag introduced to combat the problems of unregistered health care products in Malaysia.
2. BAKUN DAM – Realising the importance of educating the local community on the advantages and benefits of the hydro dam, Asia PR was roped in to advise the Sarawak State Government on how best to disseminate the messages to the community.
3. CALTEX OIL MALAYSIA LTD – Apart from the normal scope of servicing, Asia PR was also engaged to advise Caltex in dealing with incidents at their forecourts i.e. fire, accidents, fuel adulterations, etc.
4. KFC HOLDINGS – Being involved in a ‘sensitive’ industry, KFC has to be alert all the time and Asia PR was around to advise them during the crisis especially in managing the media and also stakeholders.
5. HO HUP CONSTRUCTION – We struck a strong cord in helping to consolidate the company which was embattled in a boardroom tussle with covert messaging and reinforcing management strategies for the consumption of shareholders.

E. CEO’s AGENDA
1. ADVISING CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY – Developed key communications strategies and advised them on strategic planning in handling key business issues as they lead their organisations to greater heights.

OUR CLIENTS
1. CURRENT CLIENTELE

IBC SOLAR

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A company which has made its mark in implementing green technology via their solar hybrid systems found most ideal for the rural interiors of Sarawak and Sabah. The maiden project in Kerapa Spak in Sarawak’s Betong Division is strongly laced with our messaging and perception-building to promote green technology as a long term solution to power up longhouses using a cheap and alternative solar energy.

ARIANESPACE
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World’s leading commercial satellite launcher which had the honour of putting Malaysia into the space age by launching communications satellites, Measat 1 and 2, in 1996, continues to engage Asia PR to advise them on the local satellite industry and also ensure that they will continue to be in the radar of all the decision makers in this country.

NAIM HOLDINGS BERHAD
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The Company is the holding company for its 100% owned subsidiary, Naim Cendera Sdn Bhd (NCSB), which is primarily involved in property development and construction. It focuses its business efforts on three principal areas: integrated property developments combining residential, commercial and industrial properties with infrastructure and public amenities; contracting of construction, civil engineering and infrastructure projects; and oil and gas through investment in Dayang Enterprise Holdings Berhad.

SAPURA GROUP
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A Malaysian-grown technology-based organization, the company started out as a telecommunications infrastructure and service provider and the group has expanded and diversified its businesses across five major business areas namely Secured Communications, Oil and Gas, Automotive, Education and Lifestyle.

T-SYSTEMS

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A subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom of Germany, our assignment entailed promoting the company as one of the largest employers in Cyberjaya and promoting a platform for attracting undergrads to sign up to join T-Sytems.

PROXCEL SDN BHD

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A joint-venture company between Felda Global Ventures and the iA Group, we undertook an awareness programme with messaging in the media tailored towards changing trends in the ICT ecosystem.

SEDA
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The Sustainable Energy Development Authority not only moved into its new office in Putrajaya in late 2012 but took that opportunity to launch the FiT (Feed in Tariff)

THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES MALAYSIA

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A high profile research think tank of the Malaysian government which launched the much awaited Rare Earth Report in late 2010 and with its came our messaging on the future green economy behind rare earth processing amidst the controversy of the Lynas Rare Earth Plant in Gebeng, Pahang.

TECHNOLOGY PARK MALAYSIA
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Our involvement focussed on rebranding the site as a leading ICT hub in the Klang Valley and the achievements of TPM as a research and development arm of the government.

2. OVER THE YEARS
We have serviced local and multinational corporations, private and public-sector companies, with some of the notable corporations being:
o IBM
o Hewlett Packard
o Carcosa Seri Negara
o Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur
o Hilton Kuala Lumpur at KL Sentral
o Avillion Port Dickson
o Bosch & Blaupunkt
o Standard Chartered Malaysia
o Kuwait Finance House Malaysia
o SME Bank
o Bank Utama
o Affin Bank
o KFC, Pizza Hut, Ayamas
o Caltex Malaysia
o BP Chemicals (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd
o Dutch Lady Milk Industries Bhd
o Audi, Subaru and Volkswagen
o Celcom (M) Bhd
o Halal Industry Development Corporation Sdn Bhd
o UEM Group Berhad
o UEM Builders
o UK Land International
o Olympus
o Skali
o JTI

Public-Listed Companies:
o KFC Holdings Malaysia Berhad
o Reliance Pacific Berhad
o Scomi Berhad
o Wah Seong Corporation Berhad
o Talam Corporation Berhad
o VOIR Holdings Berhad
o Ho Hup Construction
o And over 15 other brands for Initial Public Listing (IPO) Exercise

Government-related Projects:
o The Bakun Project in Sarawak (1995)
o Langkawi International Dialogue (1995 and 1999)
o National Productivity Corporation, agency under Ministry of International Trade and Industry
o Akademi Sains Malaysia – Ministry of Science, Technology & Innovation Malaysia
o Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
o Rural Electrification Scheme with Green Technology – Sarawak

SPECIAL UNITS
1. FACTS & INFORMATION UNIT (FIU)
• We gather facts and insights with research on information to prepare clients to face the media for different functions and on varied platforms.
• We provide both client and the corporation with a more authoritative standing that garners added recognition.
• We identify added opportunities for clients to consider initiating or partnering, depending on their overall objectives.
• We handle counseling and initiate engagements with senior management whenever information gathered needs to be shared via a confidential approach.

2. CAPITAL MARKETS UNIT (CMU)
• We work closely with fund managers and analysts in organising briefings, laying the groundwork for mergers and acquisitions, IPOs and secondary issues.

3. MEDIA RESEARCH UNIT (MRU)
• Always updated is our database of all publications circulated within the country together with key editorial personnel. Keeping close contact with editors, reporters and photographers is crucial towards the delivery of successful communications.

4. GOVERNMENT RELATIONS UNIT (GRU)
• We advise clients on issues related to politics, briefing individual MPs and senators on topical business issues from a client perspective, monitoring the development of the Malaysian political scene and analyse its impacts to clients’ businesses.

SERVICES
A. COMMUNICATIONS ADVISER
• Asia PR will be the clients’ communications advisor, counselling the company on public relations / communications strategy.

B. PLANNING, STRATEGISING & EXECUTION
• Assist in planning, strategising and executing communications programmes – spanning various audiences including the media and other internal audiences etc.

C. PR SECRETARIAT
• Acts as clients’ PR and press secretariat. The secretariat will handle all incoming queries, prepare responses and perform “clearing house” functions to coordinate all clients’ external PR requirements.

D. PR EVENTS
• Conduct routine PR events such as press conferences, events coverage, interviews, media briefings and other related activities.

E. CRAFTING OF MESSAGING
• To ensure consistency in messaging, Asia PR will work together with clients in creating / crafting the right messaging for varied audiences.

F. EDITORIAL SERVICES
• Research, writing and placements of holding statements / news releases / feature articles, etc. spanning various topics as outlined in the respective proposal.
• Other editorials services i.e. writing of speech pointers, talking points.

G. PR COUNSELLING & MEDIA RELATIONS
• Guide and represent clients on dealing with the media (related to the campaign).
• Counsel on all aspects of PR-related communications.
• Handle media relations, including back-channel briefings.
• Co-ordinating media visits, lining up press luncheons, breakfast meetings and informal meetings with media representatives.
• Conduct media training for spokespersons – on the Malaysian media and the dos and don’ts when dealing with them.

H. “EYES & EARS”
• Asia PR will be the eyes and ears plus a liaison to the media, updating clients on media sentiment / market talk / market rumours/market intel, etc., and advise them to be well prepared to take the best course of action.

FAQ
Is there really a need for PR?
Yes, of course if you want to bolster your ideas and image. PR is more effective that outright advertising.

Can’t we do it ourselves?
Everyone can lay bricks and build a wall, but the expert bricklayer does it faster and better.

How good is your networking among the media?
Very good. Most media practitioners are our contemporaries. With 32 years in the media, you kind of know what to do, how to do it, when to do it, where it should be done, why it should be done in a particular way and who should do it.

What make Asia PR different from the others?
Not many PR firms can boast a 20-year history. We have handled all kinds of situations both in the private and government sector.

What makes a PR firm different from our own corporate communications team?
Corporate communications gets involved in the details of day to day communications and events. PR looks at the issues and the macro aspect of what best to be done to broker an issue.

Is PR expensive?
You always pay more for a specialist when compared to a GP. We are the specialists and we cost less that placing full blown ads in the media.

How big is your team at Asia PR?
We have staff strength of 20 including a team of five in Kuching to cover East Malaysia. We have writers on board, media liaison, researchers and online communications personnel besides our field executives and assistants.

Do you cover international clientele and how far is your reach?
We can tackle issues just about anywhere as we have partner consultants who can be engaged in leading Asian cities, UK and US.

Can you do advertising, media planning and events as well?
Most clients want a one-stop agency. We can not only handle what you have described but also video news releases, photography, online editing to name a few. These are peripheral services on top of what we specialise in and that’s PR.

What’s this about covert PR?
Different issues have to be tackled differently. Besides conventional PR which every agency in town does, Asia PR handles covert PR and this can only be done with experienced hands on board which we have. Covert PR is creating an issue relating to our client without involving our client.

Is covert PR effective?
Quite certainly. If the politician says he is good, nobody believes him. But if someone of credibility says the politician is good, the audience listens. If we exploit and explain an issue to prove that the politician is good, the audience is convinced.

Has there ever been bad PR moves?
In most cases PR can go wrong if not handled professionally. Not everyone can do PR and do it in the name of just sending out press releases and organizing press conferences. You must have the experience to advise clients how to avoid bad PR. We, at Asia PR have that experience.

What is it about PR that we do not know?
PR also involves image building not just of an agency, company or government but also the personalities leading such organisations. We provide specialised training. We even scout for talent best suited to fit into an image we want to create for a client.
How do we engage a PR firm like Asia PR?
Be prepared for a monthly consultancy fee. It may cost less that the overhead and operating costs of a corporate communications department. The fee is for the advice and professional consultancy provided plus the standard media networking practices which are covered.
Anything outside the organizing and advisory capacity is treated as third party costs.
For further information visit our website www.asia-pr.com.