UTAR’s “Avoid Job Scams: V.E.R.I.F.Y.” Campaign
wins Gold at Malaysia PR Awards 2025

Celebrating their win at the Malaysia Public Relations Awards 2025, Revellyn Tan Jie Xin (centre) and her team, Prof Dr Cheah Phaik Kin (far left), and Ms Bazlin Darina binti Ahmad Tajudin, Head of Department, Department of Public Relations (second from left)

UTAR won the Gold award in the Students: Institutions of Higher Learning category at the Malaysia Public Relations Awards 2025 (MPRA 2025) for its student-led project, “Avoid Job Scams: V.E.R.I.F.Y.” The award recognises effective and innovative communications projects by institutions of higher learning that create meaningful value for students while equipping them with practical experience for the industry. Held on 28 November 2025, MPRA 2025 was organised by the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) of Malaysia, the national professional body for the public relations and communications industry, and an independent, non-profit organisation representing practitioners working both in-house and in consultancies.

Developed by Year Two and Year Three students from the Bachelor of Communication (Honours) Public Relations programme at the Faculty of Arts and Social Science, the project was produced under the UAMP3084 Corporate Social Responsibility course under the academic supervision of Prof Dr Cheah Phaik Kin. The campaign responded to the growing threat of online job scams targeting students and young jobseekers, turning classroom learning into a public education effort with direct social value.

Published in 11 languages on UTAR’s official YouTube channel and shared across digital platforms, the “Avoid Job Scams: V.E.R.I.F.Y.” video was developed in collaboration with law enforcement experts and informed by both theory and actual job scam modus operandi. The V.E.R.I.F.Y. framework presents six simple actions that viewers can use to assess whether a job opportunity is genuine.

The initiative reflects cross-sector collaboration across law enforcement, crime prevention, and public safety networks. It was co-organised by the ASEAN National Police (ASEANAPOL) and the Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation, in partnership with PolicingTV, United Kingdom, the Global Foundation for Community Safety Volunteering, United Kingdom, and the Center for Public Safety and Justice at the University of Virginia, United States. It brought together multiple stakeholders to address a real social issue through preventive education and public-interest communication.

By using a multilingual, microlearning format and digital distribution, the initiative was designed to make scam awareness more accessible to students, young jobseekers, and the wider public across different language communities. In doing so, it reflects the values of diversity, inclusion, and equitable access to information, while contributing to community well-being and more informed decision-making in the digital environment.

The campaign has also gained visibility in professional, academic, and law enforcement settings. It was presented by former ASEANAPOL Executive Director Police Colonel David Martinez Vinluan on the Philippine National Police television programme Sumbong N’yo, Aksyon Agad!, featured at the ASEAN Law Forum in Kuala Lumpur, and shared at the 25th INTERPOL Asia Regional Conference in Singapore. It was also introduced in police training programmes and presented to undergraduates in universities.

Prof Dr Cheah said, “Through this project, students were able to apply communication theories, research, and social responsibility to a problem that affects many young people today. They experienced what it means to use their skills as communicators to respond thoughtfully to real-life challenges and to contribute to the well-being of society. The project also helped students experience the broader social impact of their work and understand the responsibility they have in using their skills to inform, protect, and serve the community. I am grateful to the collaborators and expert reviewers who helped shape this campaign into a practical tool for public awareness.”

Revellyn Tan Jie Xin, student leader of the project, said, “We are very honoured to receive this award. This project taught us that service learning means using our skills to serve the community. Through this campaign, we learned how to protect ourselves from job scams, help others stay alert, and build practical communication skills that will be useful in our future careers.”