One of the functions of the diplomatic missions abroad is to dispel or to correct any misconception about the country's policies that are featured in the foreign media. This job is normally carried out by the Information or Press Consellor in missions abroad. This is part of media diplomacy and public diplomacy role whereby the Information man is required to make efforts to cultivate the foreign media in order to give the correct perspective of the country or the government he represents.

There is often a tendency for the foreign media to sensationalize or interpret certain issues from a perspective that is colored or based on their value judgment. More often, the media would slant the news which is biased towards their perspective and would make it appear that the country is not doing the right thing. If certain misreported, misrepresented or even twisted facts are not corrected immediately, there is a likelihood that the public will form a negative impression. This will not do good for the country as it could influence potential investors who are interested to invest in the country. In the long run, such negative impression created by the media could even affect the nation's economy.

If the image of the country continues to be wrongly perceived by the foreign media or the international public, the government may even have to resort to appointing a public relations company to deal with such situation to bring back a positive image of the country. This is called reputation management whereby certain public relations strategies need to be put in place immediately to counter the adverse image. As reported in the local media recently, circumstances have forced the Malaysian government to engage a US-based public relations consultancy Apco Worldwide to do the job. This is not the first time the Malaysian government has resorted to such an action. The services of international public relations consultancies were also engaged during the eighties and the nineties to counter adverse campaigns by NGOs and social and environmental activists against tropical timber and palm oil in Europe and USA respectively.

I too had the experience in handling media diplomacy and to put into action some of the planned public relations strategies when I was serving in two European capitals - Paris and London - during the eighties and nineties. In the final analysis it is important to put Malaysia's image in the right perspective. After all it boils down to the defence of national interest!!