The highly anticipated Kuala Lumpur International PR Conference (KLIP 7), held today, July 7, 2025, successfully convened a pivotal global discourse on the future of public relations. This landmark event spotlighted the indispensable role of human judgment, integrity, and ethical principles as artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes the communications landscape.
In conjunction with KLIP 7, the prestigious ASEAN PR Excellence Awards 2025 were managed and hosted by the Jakarta-based ASEAN Public Relations Network (APRN). Winners of these prestigious awards were announced during the conference.
Ibu Prita Kemal Gani, Founder & Chairperson of ASEAN Public Relations Network (APRN), expressed her enthusiasm for this collaboration: “The ASEAN PR Excellence Awards represent the pinnacle of strategic communication achievements across our region.
“Holding this prestigious event in conjunction with KLIP 7, a forum dedicated to the future of PR in the AI era, creates an unparalleled synergy. This collaboration underscores our collective commitment to recognize and inspire impactful, ethical, and innovative PR practices that will shape a responsible digital future for ASEAN.”
The awards ceremony was one highlight of KLIP 7. The event honoured individuals and organizations for their innovative campaigns and significant contributions to advancing the PR profession across the ASEAN public relations landscape.
The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to industry greats Prof. Dato’ Sri Dr. Syed Arabi Syed Abdullah Idid, and Tony Wenas recognizing their unparalleled contributions to the field.
This year’s KLIP 7 conference, themed “Impactful AI, Social Media Communication and Online Education for ASEAN and the Global Community” provided a deep dive into the latest trends and essential challenges shaping our profession.
“We live in an era where information travels at lightning speed, virtual boundaries blur, and narratives can be built or shattered in an instant. In this context, the role of online education and cybersecurity is no longer an option, but a necessity,” stated Datuk Profesor Dr. Azlinda Azman, Director-General of Higher Education, Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia in her speech to launch KLIP7.
Adding significant weight to this crucial dialogue, Minister of Communications, Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, delivered KLIP 7’s keynote address, setting the tone for discussions on responsible AI governance and Malaysia’s role in shaping the future of communications.
This emphasis on ethical leadership, paramount in guiding the communications profession, found concrete expression in global initiatives such as the Venice Pledge and its Responsible AI Guiding Principles, recently endorsed by the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management.
These principles, grounded in ethical conduct, transparency, and human-led governance, are fast becoming the global benchmark for communication professionals navigating the increasingly complex world of artificial intelligence.
KLIP Chair Jaffri Amin Osman, a Board Member of the Global Alliance, was among the global industry experts and professionals that worked on shaping the Venice Pledge. KLIP 7 successfully reinforced the commitment to shaping responsible AI adoption within the region.
The conference’s speakers and panel discussions addressed how these principles can be integrated into everyday PR practices to foster online safety and ethical communication.
The conference’s speakers and panel discussions addressed how these principles can be integrated into everyday PR practices to foster online safety and ethical communication.
Distinguished speakers further unpacked these complexities. Professor Mike Hardy from Coventry University, UK, challenged attendees to consider “the power of combined intelligence.”
He noted, “I draw on my current research on critical public leadership approaches, to provoke us to think more carefully about being in this moment — this is a moment when intelligent behaviour has taken on a whole new meaning, new depths and new potentials.”
Reinforcing the ethical imperative, ESG Expert and Australian Government Advisor, Jennifer Muir, emphasized, “Ethical, human-centred AI isn’t a ‘nice to have’; it’s a strategic imperative. KLIP in Malaysia is the ground zero for regional public relations and communication professionals to examine the opportunities and necessary safeguards needed to AI use responsibly.”
Complementing this, AI Upskilling Expert Rob van Alphen, Managing Director of Polaris, UAE / Vietnam, highlighted the practical opportunities. He stated, “AI is transforming not only how we work, but also the work we do.
There’s tremendous opportunities and value for PR & communications professionals to unlock by mastering its use. At KL International PR Conference, we shared the latest AI trends and showcase the most popular tools used by comms professionals globally.”
These profound insights directly reinforced KLIP 7’s core mission: to foster impactful collaboration in social media communication and online safety education for the ASEAN Community. With Malaysia chairing ASEAN in 2025, the conference gained heightened significance, underscoring the nation’s commitment to regional cooperation and leadership in communication and information security.
KLIP 7 served as a pivotal global platform for PR and communication leaders, professionals, and academics from ASEAN and beyond, fostering the exchange of cutting-edge industry insights. The conference featured a dynamic array of keynote speakers, panel discussions and participants’ interaction, providing invaluable insights and unparalleled networking opportunities for all who attended. BERNAMA is KLIP 7’s official media partner.
A comprehensive list of all distinguished recipients of the ASEAN PR Excellence Awards 2025 is attached with this press release.
