International Conference on Media and Communication (MENTION 2019) 913 Three Public Relations Practitioners In British Malaya Syed Arabi Idid Professor in the Department of Communication, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences International Islamic University Malaysia Email- sarabidid@iium.edu.my Rizwanah Souket * Monash University Malaysia Lecturer, School of Arts and Social Sciences Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia Email- Rizwanah.SouketAli@monash.edu INTRODUCTION It is interesting to chart the growth of public relations by looking at those who had made powerful contributions to the evolution of the field. Sam Black, a well-known writer of public relations credited the American Ivy L. Lee for being among the early practitioners for using the term “public relations.” Black (1976) said “... it was not until 1914 that he (Lee) began to use the term “public relations (pg. 202) and he realized that every publicity to succeed must be supported by good works. But speaking of public relations, Black said although the term public relations was of recent origin yet it has been practiced early, from the Greek and Roman times. Lee was known for the practitioner who called for organisations to be more open with the general public. While Ivy Lee has been mentioned in several books about the practice of public relations, much more seem to have been written and attributed to Edward L. Bernays as the person who had written a book on public relations in 1923 (Bernays, 1923). In the book, the term public relations counsel was introduced. The new profession, Bernays said, was substantiated by the findings of psychologists, sociologists and newspaper men. In the forward Bernays spoke optimistically about the future development of public relations. “This profession in a few years has developed from the status of circus agent stunts to what is obviously an important position in the conduct of the world’s affairs.” (Bernays, 1923: vi). Bernays attributed the rise of public relations on the need and value of the services of the profession. The general public and the people in the ordinary life whether political, industry, social, religious and scientific groups felt the pressure of public judgment and public opinion. It is in the manner that the counsel can advise in the formation of public opinion that public relations is valued. Hence big and large industrial groups and organisations have given value to appreciating public relations because of the pressure he has been exerted by public opinion. “The public relations counsel works with public opinion.” Said Bernays (1923: 139. The entry of public relations in political campaigns was significant Stanley Kelley (1956) documented the beginning of formal involvement of public relations in elections for the part they played