KUALA LUMPUR: The 10th Meeting of the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting Responsible for Information Working Group on Information, Media and Training has commenced in the Malaysian capital.
Senior representatives from ASEAN Member States are gathering for this two-day meeting to strengthen regional cooperation in information sharing and responsible media practices.
Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa emphasised the working group’s crucial role in advancing ASEAN’s information and media agenda.
He stressed their responsibility to protect vulnerable citizens from harmful online content while promoting greater accessibility to information and ICT.
The meeting will focus on several substantive matters including updates on the ASEAN Strategic Plan for Information and Media 2016-2025.
Delegates will receive national reports from Member States under the working group’s priority areas.
Participants will also deliberate on emerging developments such as generative artificial intelligence and synthetic media.
Mohamad Fauzi noted these contemporary developments have profound implications for how information is created and consumed across societies.
He highlighted delays in cooperation from global platforms and resource constraints as significant challenges.
The increasing sophistication of AI-generated false content stresses the urgency of ensuring ASEAN’s frameworks remain relevant.
Mohamad Fauzi referenced outcomes from the 4th ASEAN Task Force on Fake News held in August.
He mentioned concrete initiatives like Brunei’s WASPADA.bn fact-checking platform and Cambodia’s “Say No to Fake News” campaign.
Indonesia’s national digital literacy drive and Malaysia’s MyCheck Malaysia efforts were also highlighted as positive developments.
The secretary-general called for ASEAN to reaffirm its role in advancing information, media and training as a foundation for regional integration.
He expressed hope that strengthened collaboration would foster trust and nurture resilience across the region.
Mohamad Fadzi welcomed delegates to explore Kuala Lumpur where tradition and modernity converge.
The meeting builds upon outcomes from the 17th ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information and the 22nd SOMRI.
Malaysia’s delegation includes representatives from the Ministry of Communications, MCMC and Bernama. – Bernama