Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The 5th ASEAN PR Excellence Awards 2025 was successfully held on 7 July 2025 at the Renaissance Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, in conjunction with the KL International Public Relations Conference (KLIP). The prestigious gathering brought together distinguished figures from across Southeast Asia, including public relations experts, academics, business leaders, government officials, students, and entrepreneurs.
Hosted by the ASEAN Public Relations Network (APRN), this biennial awards event celebrates the best in communication, strategy, and leadership, showcasing the growing influence and innovation of PR practices across the region.
The ceremony started with powerful remarks by Dr. (H.C.) Prita Kemal Gani, President of APRN, Dr. Prita in her remarks highlighted that, “We are holding the 5th ASEAN Public Relations Excellence Awards, in Kuala Lumpur in conjunction with Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025. We are honoured to be part of the series of events supporting this important milestone. Let us remember that success is not an endpoint but a journey. It’s the combination of countless hours of effort, resilience in the face of challenges, an unyielding commitment to excellence, and, most importantly, the character to always want to be the best.”
Mr. Tony Wenas as one of the lifetime achievement awards expressed that, “All the PR activities are evolving at an incredible pace, but authentic and meaningful communication will remain constant; it stays here no matter how the pace evolves. Therefore, I would like to say thank you for this very honourable award and congratulations to all the winners and ASEAN PR Network for the continued success in the future.”
Additionally, Prof. Dato’ Sri Dr. Syed Arabi, a distinguished scholar, educator, and institution builder as the lifetime achievement award recipient stated that, “This event has given Public Relations a platform to shine and also to contribute in shaping the future of Public Relations.”
Jurors of the 5th ASEAN PR Excellence Awards
The ceremony followed by a special recognition of the esteemed judging panel led by Dr. Alexander Mamby Aruan, head of jurors for the 5th ASEAN PR Excellence Awards, and composed of senior PR professionals from across ASEAN and beyond. The panel comprised senior public relations professionals from across ASEAN and beyond, including distinguished judges: Ms. Fiona Cassidy as the Immediate Past President of Public Relations Institute of New Zealand, Ms. Ruby Wan as the CEO of Wasabi Creation from Hong Kong, Dato’ Haji Ibrahim Abdul Rahman as the Former President of Institute of Public Relations Malaysia and Minjung Sung, Phd as the Professor of Department of Advertising & Public Relations and Director, Media Centre, Chung-Ang University, South Korea. This year’s awards honored excellence across 16 major categories. Among the top recognitions were the following winners:
Tony Wenas as the ASEAN Lifetime Achievement Award
ASEAN Lifetime Achievement Awards:
Awarded to Mr. Tony Wenas, President of PT Freeport Indonesia, and Prof. Dato’ Sri Dr. Syed Arabi Bin Syed Abdullah Idid, Chairman of the Institute of Public Relations Malaysia Accreditation Board, for their lifelong contributions to advancing the field of communication in ASEAN.
Prof. Dato’ Sri Dr. Syed Arabi Bin Syed Abdullah Idid as the ASEAN Lifetime Achievement Award
ASEAN PR Social Impact Award:
Awarded to Puan Farah Adura Binti Hamidi
Deputy Secretary General, The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development of Malaysia, for launching 16 ASEAN-level social development programs promoting gender equality and family welfare.
ASEAN PR Statesman Award:
Presented to Mr. Boy Kelana Soebroto, Chair of the Indonesia PR Association, for his global representation of ASEAN through the successful management of the World Public Relations Forum in Bali, Indonesia.
ASEAN Women of Impact Award:
Given to Ms. Nurhayati Subakat, Founder of Paragon Technology and Innovation (Paragon Group), for shaping inclusive branding in ASEAN’s beauty industry.
Prilly Latuconsina received a Gold Trophy of the ASEAN Young Practitioner of the Year
ASEAN Young Practitioner of the Year:
- Gold Award: Prilly Latuconsina – Sinemaku Pictures (Indonesia)
- Silver Award: Pandu Setio – Sharp Electronics (Indonesia)
Best PR Campaign:
- Diamond Award: PERHUMAS: Purposeful Influence for the Common Good – WPRF 2024 Campaign – Indonesia
- Gold Award: Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd – “IWK 2024 PR Campaign: Celebrating 30 Years of Environmental Stewardship” – Malaysia
- Silver Award: Ardent Communications, Inc.: Spotify’s Authenticity on Aux – Philippines
- Bronze Award: PNJ: Chỉ cần có nhau! – Vietnam
Best Crisis Management:
- Diamond Award: Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC): Crisis Management in the Investigation of Former Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri – Malaysia
- Gold Award: Maverick-Hasbro – Indonesia
- Silver Award: Danone Indonesia – Indonesia
Best Government PR
- Diamond Award: ASEAN International Film Festival Sarawak Team Led By Ms Livan Tajang – Malaysia
- Gold Award: Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission: Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) Media Management Plan – Malaysia
- Silver Award: Pertamina Hulu Energy (PHE) – Indonesia
- Bronze Award: Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia – Indonesia
Excellence in PR Institution
- Diamond Award: Universiti Teknologi Mara (UITM), Shah Alam – Malaysia
- Gold Award: Monash University – Malaysia
- Silver Award: RMIT University – Vietnam
- Bronze Award: Communication and Journalism Department, De La Salle University- Dasmariñas – Philippines
ASEAN PR Excellence Student:
- Diamond Award: Eco Gang: Live Green For Green City – Vietnam
- Gold Award: ASEAN-Korea Youth Influencers Project: LSPR Institute of Communication and Business – Indonesia
- Silver Award: Green Gen: Mentoring Eco Green Project – Vietnam
- Bronze Award: Valensia: LSPR Institute of Communication and Business – Indonesia
Best Communication Use of Social Media:
- Diamond Award: YeaH1: Concert “Anh Trai Vuot Ngan Chong Gai” – Vietnam
- Gold Award: Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC): Revolutionising MACC’s Promotion and Publicity Through Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Malaysia
- Silver Award: Mang Inasal Nation Facebook Group: Pork BBQ Media Launch – Philippines
- Bronze Award: Maverick-Hasbro: The “Transformers ONE – Exclusive Merchandise Hunt” Campaign – Indonesia
Best Communication Use of Digital Platform:
- Diamond Award: Ogilvy Group Vietnam: Viet-names in Paris – Vietnam
- Gold Award: Astra International: Desa Sejahtera Astra (DSA) – Indonesia
- Silver Award: Mang Inasal’s: Pork BBQ Media Launch – Philippines
- Bronze Award: XLSmartfren: Teman UMKM – Indonesia
Best PR Agencies:
- Diamond Award: EloQ – Vietnam
- Gold Award: Inke Maris & Associates – Indonesia
- Silver Award: Ardent Communications, Inc. – Philippines
- Bronze Award: PRecious Communications – Singapore
Best PR Programme:
- Diamond Award: PERHUMAS: World Public Relations Forum (WPRF) – Indonesia
- Gold Award: PRecious Communications & Palo Alto Networks: Igniting Trust, Awareness and Action: Palo Alto Networks’ AI-Focused Cybersecurity Conversations Across ASEAN – Singapore
- Silver Award: Otsuka Group: Free TBC At Workplaces “Creating Tuberculosis Free Workplaces & Eliminating TBC Stigma” – Indonesia
- Bronze Award: Amanah Raya Berhad: Amanahraya 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Campaign – Malaysia
Best PR Practitioner:
- Diamond Award: Nguyen Minh Huong – Founder and CEO of Golden Communication Group, Vietnam
- Gold Award: Ameira Nur Iliany Binti Ibrahim – INTI International University, Nilai Campus – Malaysia
- Silver Award: Mr. Nguyen Van Thang Long – Associate Professor at RMIT University, Vietnam
- Bronze Award: Leidena Sekar Negari – Senior Government PR Officer at the Secretariat General of the House of Representatives of Indonesia
Vietnam PR Network at the 5th ASEAN PR Excellence Awards
In all 16 categories, winners proved their extraordinary creativity, strategic insight, and meaningful impact within their fields and communities. Mr. Jaffri Amin Osman, Chair of the KL International PR Conference sent his remarks, “The ASEAN PR Excellence awards is awesome not just for celebrating the Best of the Best PR winners but to share creative PR brand stories with all our ASEAN countries. Kita Serumpun. Banyak Yang Kita Boleh Pelajari Sesama Sendiri. We can move together as a united ASEAN PR and Communication team.”
The winners then gathered for group photos of the award recipients, judges, and special guests, bringing the exciting celebration of the 5th ASEAN PR Excellence Awards to a finale!
