“Being the comms head of KDEBWM means having to be quick, creative, tactful and accurate in responding to stakeholders including the media, top management, the Menteri Besar’s office and local councils. This was especially the case during the Selangor flood crisis in 2021, I had to constantly and proactively disseminate information. It was particularly challenging and I am proud that I was able to do so. My philosophy is to always dare to accept challenges, even when it is not related to your qualifications. This shows that people have trust and confidence in you. I don’t believe that qualification is 100% relevant to your career. Like myself for example. I have a degree in Islamic Studies, a diploma in Industrial Relations and worked in HR for more than 20 years before being appointed Head of Media at KDEBWM. And now I am pursuing an MBA at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), because learning is a life-long journey. I want to show that as a woman, I can do things just as well as men. And that I am able to do this while juggling my career, my studies and my personal life as a mother to five children – from 13 to 19 years old.”
– Mahfuzah Muhammad Tarmidi, Head of Media and Public Relations, KDEB Waste Management.
December 2021
“I remember when I first met Pn Mahfuzah. I was introduced to her by one of my business development executives and I sat in the meeting and watched fascinated as this lovely lady spoke so eloquently, elegantly and passionately about the company she worked for. And I realised this was the epitome of what great PR is – people within the organisation who are so sold on the vision of the company that they don’t just speak it, they live it. Her adoration of her boss, En Ramli Tahir, and what he stands for and how he cares for the employees was sincere and heartfelt. I was in awe, and 3 years later, I am still in awe, as I see KDEBWM moving further and further on the wings of people who work tirelessly for the company, all spurred by a common vision, working in solidarity and having a sense of pride in being a part of a family. The best public relations is actually from within, and Fuzah, as she is fondly called, continuously sparks the internal flame while maintaining the glow from the outside through strategic and clever positioning of her organisation and her hero, her boss.
All companies should have such unabashed cheerleaders.”
– Datuk Beatrice Nirmala, CEO, The IBR Asia Group
