Effective Communication

I was asked by a colleague to help translating a notice from Malay Language to Chinese recently. The notice is meant to invite hawkers of a night market to attend a briefing and also balloting for the restructuring of the market. While Malay language is used for official function and corresponding, the officers agreed that for effective communication, all means of communications should be explored. These include sending sms informing the meeting, peer interaction, personal touch, e-mailing and private chat apart from the letters.

For effective information dissemination, the process is very critical. While specific target groups have to be identified, the means is equally important. For example, if the group does not care much about the subject matter, they will not attend to the matter. If the subject matter is related to their own interest, then by all mean they will find a way to get attention despite of getting notice in languages they are not familiar with.

In the case of restructuring the night market, I believe all of them will try to make themselves presence since most of them will be affected. Their livelihood is at stake as the location of their stall will determine whether they can make better business or not. Hence, translating the notice into another language should be seen as an added services by MBPJ. It shows the Council is engaging people friendly and people-centric approach. This approach is workable if there are interests attached to that or else nobody will bother much.

Having said this, I think exploring multiple approaches and means of communication is the way forward for effective public communication even though with or without self interest.