My appointment as Najib’s PR man ‘nothing special’, says Lim Kok Wing
Published: 23 May 2015 10:27 AM
Advertising man Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing, who is now Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's new public campaign coordinator, says his appointment is “nothing special”.
“I’ve been working with the Malaysian government since 1974 on the New Economic Policy. My appointment serves as a continuation of the role that I play in supporting the government,” he was quoted as saying in The Star Online today.
Lim said he had worked with various ministries and government agencies on many campaigns, including those on road safety, anti-smoking, the Commonwealth Games, national unity and the goods and services tax (GST).
“I work on public information campaigns to ensure the right message gets sent across to the people. We need to build a society of people who are of the same mind,” he said.
It was reported yesterday that Lim had drawn up plans for Najib to go nationwide to gather support and listen to complaints from the people.
Lim, who founded the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, will report directly to the Prime Minister's Office which already has a string of advisors.
The 69-year-old, who set up Malaysia's first local advertising agency, has been involved in election campaigns for almost four decades.
In 1994, Lim, on recommendation by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, was tasked by the late Nelson Mandela in South Africa's first free elections, giving his African National Congress (ANC) the slogan "A Better Life for All".
He also conceptualised and ran Putrajaya's "Tak Nak" anti-smoking campaign and promoted the "Rakan Muda" and "One Heart, One Nation" programmes.
His latest appointment came months after Lim was first appointed as “goodwill ambassador” in the Prime Minister's Department in a Tolerance Day celebration that his university hosted in November last year.
Lim now joins the list of four official advisors to Najib: Datuk Seri Dr Abdullah Md Zin, Datuk Johari Baharum, Tan Sri Rais Yatim and Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. – May 23, 2015.