Quality control anyone?

Posted on 26 September 2011 - 04:20am

R. Nadeswaran

JOURNALISTS are purveyors of the news – good or bad, negative or positive. The phrase "don't shoot the messenger" has been over-used because when the truth is laid bare, it hurts and the finger is pointed at the courier and not the originator.
It becomes more painful when another over-used phrase – "he has an agenda" is added to the moaning and groaning. If questions are asked at a public function, spin doctors and the like would ask: "Why is he embarrassing the country in front of foreigners?"
So, when the invitation to a media conference in Central London on promoting Terengganu as a tourist destination, arrived, the mind tells itself: "Play dumb and just make your observations and conclusions impartially."
Judging from the list of attendees at the entrance to the hall, the invitation list read like an extract from "Who's who of Malaysians in London". There were officials from the High Commission, Bank Negara, the Trade Office and even the private sector.
The gentlemen from Malaysia looked resplendent in their dark suits with matching ties. But then, there were just 10 "outsiders" – three Malaysian journalists, two from UK-based trade publications and travel agents making up the rest. To say that Malaysians outnumbered the Londoners would be more than a fair statement.
A couple of minutes into what was supposed to be a presentation on the state's attractions, the murmurs in the audience started and soon ended up in a group discussion among members of the trade.
For a good 20 minutes, the state secretary went from proposals for a bird sanctuary to the time that will be cut for road journeys between Kuala Lumpur and Kuala Terengganu. In between, there was talk about looking for foreign investors for tourism projects.
Never mind the grammar, phonetics and pronunciation. The presentation was neither rehearsed nor prepared; the delivery was poor; and they lacked passion and the only consolation was that the travel writers from the national press were conspicuously missing. Had they been there, they would have taken the mickey out of the afternoon's experience.
The only key message that this scribe took away was: "We have the third longest runway in Malaysia after KLIA and Subang." As if this really mattered.
At the Q & A which followed, the first of the two questions hit the presenter in the face: "Are you organising any fam-trips?" (familiarisation trips for travel agents and journalists). The presenter looked stunned, not understanding what the question meant.
After conferring with his officer, yet another over-used phrase sprung out as if a button had been tapped on the computer which relayed the message to the mind: "We will look into the matter."
As predictable as the sun rising in the east, no Malaysian event – at home or abroad – would be complete without teh tarik and kuih-muih. It was time for a tea break where the visiting officials, travel agents and journalists would be able to exchange views and take the subject further. It was not to be.
The Malaysians were huddled in a corner of their own perhaps discussing politics back home. The situation was saved by London-based Tourism Malaysia officers who took the opportunity to expand their network and giving some facts on the east coast neglected, no thanks to bungling and ill-prepared presentations and promotions.
In whispered conversations, the presentation was discussed. Why is that we always shoot ourselves in the foot and then blame the media for all the harmful and depressing reports? Why could not have someone told the state secretary that he should just do the opening address and leave it to someone else to make the presentation?
The answer was short and curt: "It's not Malaysian culture to tell the boss that he is not up to the mark." So, the errors, misgivings, blunders and boobs keep being repeated. The boss knows he made a mockery but he continues because no tells him that he had been a disaster on the podium.
Everyone who made the 20,000km round-trip (first or business class) is happy, shopping has been done, the mission may have been completed but not accomplished and there's time yet for chest-thumping and shout "Malaysia Boleh". Was anyone aware of yet another over-used phrase – quality control? Not a single soul from the rombongan, judging from the 20-minute experience and reception that followed.
R. Nadeswaran continues to be a keen observer of Malaysians and everything Malaysia in the United Kingdom. He is theSun's UK correspondent based in London and can be reached at: citizen-nades@thesundaily.com