The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, delivers a royal address during the opening ceremony of the Global Public Relations Conference and Festival Malaysia 2025 (GPRCF) at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTC KL). -Bernamapic
KUALA LUMPUR: The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, has warned that while artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way information is created, shared, and trusted, it also presents new challenges to truth.
In his royal address at the Global Public Relations Conference and Festival (GPRCF) Malaysia 2025 on Thursday (Nov 13), he emphasised that it is the responsibility of communicators, such as journalists, strategists, educators, and leaders, to humanise technology.
"To ensure that innovation never replaces empathy, and that speed never supersedes sincerity, we must remain ever-vigilant.
"And in an age where misinformation spreads faster than understanding, we must face these challenges not with hostility, but with wisdom, and with a steadfast commitment to the truth and peaceful engagement,” he said during the official opening of the GPRCF here today.
Also present were Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, former Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chairman Datuk Seri Azman Ujang and Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) president Datuk Yong Soo Heong, who is also the former Bernama editor-in-chief.
In this digital era, Sultan Nazrin stressed the importance of nurturing the human values that underpin effective communication, noting that Malaysia’s strength lies in its diversity, and that words must connect rather than divide.
"As a monarch, I am ever mindful that words carry immense weight. The civility of our national discourse reflects the civility of our nation itself.
"Communication that enlightens rather than inflames is part of what sustains the dignity of our institutions and the unity of our people,” he said.
Sultan Nazrin added that the duty of communicators, whether in government, business, or the media, is to safeguard truth, civility, and accuracy.
He cautioned that harsh or divisive speech erodes trust and cohesion, and that public communicators must choose their words with wisdom and conscience. He stressed that the integrity of language forms the very foundation of public trust and national stability.
As Malaysia’s Asean Chairmanship for 2025 nears its conclusion, Sultan Nazrin also urged member states to prioritise cooperation over confrontation and to encourage communicators across the region to bridge divides and translate policies into understanding.
The inaugural three-day conference, organised by the Public Relations Practitioners Society of Malaysia (PRactitioners), has brought together over 500 communication leaders, media professionals, policymakers, and academics from Malaysia and abroad. - Bernama
