Taylor’s University senior lecturer Benjamin Loh said J-Kom is often perceived as a tool for government propaganda, but its original mandate was to foster two-way communications between grassroots communities and the government.

Loh said there was a lack of engagement and awareness among local communities on projects like the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and Trans Sabah Gas Pipeline (TSGP).

“A lot of the communities we spoke to basically didn’t have an avenue to have their voices heard,” he said at the launch of his report on information dissemination for Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects.

In some instances, he said, stakeholders were not even aware that these projects would be affecting them.

Citing the example of virtual town halls held in other countries, Loh said J-Kom should expand its role to organise such events and manage the flow of information between stakeholders and the authorities.

Currently, there are few active efforts to disseminate information, he said, adding that the government only takes action when a major issue arises or something is politicised.

“For the most part, there’s no real effort to trickle down the information,” said Loh, who lectures at Taylor’s school of media and communications.

The report, titled BRI Projects and Information Asymmetry, was published by the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), with its analyses conducted in Bentong (Pahang) and Kimanis (Sabah).

Besides its call to expand the scope of J-Kom, the report proposed the introduction of a Government Procurement Act to improve transparency in the funding, tendering, and planning of mega projects.