The exposure of Royal Malaysian Customs Department personnel to digital narrative simulations is expected to improve their ability to handle social media issues and crises more effectively.
Royal Malaysian Customs Academy (AKMAL) Sarawak branch director Deswita Santari Abdul Khalik said the initiative was part of a strategic and digital media management course held in Kuching, Sarawak, from Aug 3 to 6.
She said the programme was designed to enhance existing communication capabilities within the department by equipping officers with skills to respond more proactively before issues develop into larger crises.
Deswita explained that participants were also introduced to newsroom operations and gained a better understanding of the responsibilities of enforcement agencies in providing accurate and timely information to the public.
The four-day course involved more than 30 Customs officers from various ranks representing the department’s headquarters and branches nationwide.
Participants were also trained in the use of digital verification and monitoring tools, including InVID WeVerify, Google Reverse Image Search, X Advanced Search, Google Trends and Boardreader, to support effective information management.
Throughout the workshop, officers took part in practical exercises involving the preparation of rapid response statements, media releases, social media content, infographic creation and press conference management.
The programme was conducted by experts from the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), who served as trainers and speakers throughout the course.
