A challenge in a different country - PR in Asia

Hi all!

I am Jun and i started my internship at a new Automotive company called M&H Elegant Auto Care in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was a company founded by an entrepreneur and a business partner who had over 15 years of experience in the industry. The business was founded to provide the best auto care service like no other in an industry already dominated by hundreds of similar companies.

Being in Asia, the world of PR is vastly different than what we have learnt during the course of our education in Curtin. When i first started my first day i was quite excited and motivated to just get through this semester and internship with the best of my abilities. Little did i know that my enthusiasm and energy was not well accepted in such a hostile environment. From what i knew, my co-workers were quite shocked and taken aback to my forwardness and my interactions with them. I slowly learnt day by day that getting to know them took time and effort and being friendly doesn't guarentee their loyalty and friendship either. People in the company and also in the industry definitely needed time to get to know me and to show my abilities and what i can do for them before they accepted me as one of their own.

It was a culture shock and a lesson i learnt that was so essential when i was given the task to communicate and provide media releases to news corporations and events companies because if i were to approach them the way did on my first day, i do not believe i would achieved anything for my supervisor. The world of PR in malaysia is more conservative and strict compared to Australia and there are many guidelines to follow if one was to be a successful PR practioner in Malaysia.

My journey continues!

Jun
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