Avoid political slogans in govt projects, academic says
The 1Malaysia brand was synonymous with the administration of former prime minister Najib Razak. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA : An academic has advised against naming government projects after the slogans adopted by individual administrations, following plans for the construction of a 'Madani City' in Putrajaya.
Zairul Noor of Universiti Putra Malaysia said the names of government projects or policies should be 'timeless' and not tied to any particular administration to ensure their acceptance.
He said this approach would also help prevent wastage in terms of rebranding in the event of a change in government.
He added that doing away with names tied to political slogans would ensure the continuity of the policies in question.
He gave the example of the 1Malaysia brand which was synonymous with the administration of former prime minister Najib Razak.
'Billboards, official documents, and visual elements (which had the 1Malaysia logo) had to be replaced, and it cost a lot to do so. It was a waste of public funds,' Zairul, a lecturer in architecture, told FMT.
'For a country that is encouraging fiscal prudence, the tendency to incorporate politics in branding should be avoided.'
In 2023, it was reported that the administration of Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the country's ninth prime minister, had spent a little over RM62 million on the rebranding of his 'Keluarga Malaysia' government.
The 'Kerajaan Prihatin' government of Ismail's predecessor, Muhyiddin Yassin, spent RM181,752 on rebranding exercises, while Anwar Ibrahim's administration spent RM489,216 on the 'Malaysia Madani' rebranding programmes.
Two days ago, the government announced its plans for a 41-hectare 'Madani City' in Putrajaya.
However, Zairul said the term 'madani' was tied to the concept of 'madaniyah' which revolves around building a community based on values, knowledge, and fairness.
'If the term selected is not just a political slogan, it will be accepted as long as it also promotes inclusivity,' he said.
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