KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) has removed 50 promotional banners for Klinik Perubatan UMC after the advertisements went viral and sparked controversy on social media.
In a statement issued by its Corporate Communications and Relations Management Centre, UniSZA said the banners were taken down after the issue was identified on July 13, Sinar Harian reported today.
The university said UniSZA Holdings Sdn Bhd (UHSB) was instructed to remove all the promotional materials within less than five hours of installation to prevent misunderstanding and discomfort among the public.
Of the 50 promotional buntings prepared, 25 contained the advertisement that sparked controversy, while the remaining materials featured other promotional content.
“Universiti takes this matter seriously and has instructed UHSB to conduct an internal investigation to identify the cause of the incident.
“This is to ensure all promotional materials issued in future comply with established procedures, guidelines and communication standards,” the statement said.
The operations of Klinik Perubatan UMC, including the management of promotional materials, fall under UniSZA Medical Services Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of UHSB.
Following the incident, UniSZA also instructed UHSB to review the approval process for all promotional materials under its companies to ensure they are more thorough, professional and sensitive to public concerns.
UHSB, through UniSZA Medical Services Sdn Bhd, has since issued an official statement and apologised to the public over the confusion and concerns caused.
UniSZA said it would continue monitoring the improvement measures taken while valuing constructive public feedback to strengthen the university’s communication governance.
