MACC to develop ISO certification for crisis communication with Dept of Standards

New Straits Times

3 days ago

CYBERJAYA: The role and responsibility of public relations practitioners are crucial in helping to disseminate and control a more accurate narrative to shape the public's rational and logical thinking.
Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) strategic communications division (SCD) director Hisyam Mohd Yusoff said all parties, especially in the government sector, need to view this effort as a necessary change to be implemented collaboratively rather than working independently or in silos.
"Communication crisis management is now seen as a critical necessity, and the SCD has taken the initiative to begin planning the development of an ISO Certification for Communication Crisis Management as part of the new MACC Strategic Plan starting in 2026.
"The Department of Standards Malaysia (MSD) is regarded as an important agency to assist MACC in achieving this strategic plan, similar to the collaboration with MSD in granting ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation certification to the MACC Digital Forensic Laboratory last year," he said.
Department director Wan Rukiman Wan Mamat also welcomed and committed to cooperating with MACC in developing this ISO standard.
"MSD views MACC's proposal as timely and in line with current needs, which indeed require such planning to be established," he said.
The SCD delegation, led by its Deputy Director Jules Rahman Ong, held discussions with MSD regarding the proposal for developing standards and accreditation in communication management at MSD's office in Cyberjaya today.
Hisyam said the ISO Certification is also important to establish a communication crisis management standard that will be adopted by every government and private agency.
He said MACC is also concerned about the level of rationality, thinking, and public perception, which are increasingly susceptible to misinformation and unhelpful news, prompting the idea and need to develop such a plan.