DA NANG – Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Vietnam and Cambodia, on the sidelines of the 16th Conference of Asean Ministers Responsible for Information, here today.
Fahmi’s meeting with Vietnam’s Information and Communication Minister Nguyen Manh Hung, which lasted about 40 minutes, among others discussed forging deeper cooperation between agencies in both ministries, which includes the exchange of news and communication technologies.
Both ministers also spoke at length on regulations to impose on internet giants to compensate news outlets for content sourced from them, looking at Australia and New Zealand as examples of dealing with similar issues.
During the meeting, Fahmi noted that Malaysia is currently fine-tuning details of the proposed memorandum of understanding between Malaysia and Vietnam in the area of information and communication.
Meanwhile, Cambodia’s Information Minister Neth Pheaktra praised Malaysia for being advanced in the field of journalism, adding that Cambodia is interested in learning more as it is in the midst of setting up its journalism and public relations institute.
In the 40-minute meeting, the two ministers also voiced their concern about how social media is being used for scam activities and widespread misinformation.
Pheaktra, who was appointed to the post last month, also expressed Cambodia’s interest in Islamic content and hoped to learn from Malaysia’s experience as there are almost one million Muslims in the country.
Both bilateral meetings were attended by Communications and Digital Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa and the Information Department’s media and corporate communication director Datuk E. Sivabalan.
Also in the meeting were Bernama deputy editor-in-chief (news service) Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin and other high-ranking officials from the Communications and Digital Ministry and its agencies.
Vietnam and Cambodia are among the 10 Asean member countries participating in the ministers’ conference being held at the Furama Resort Danang here, which ends tomorrow. – September 22, 2023