Kuala Lumpur: The close relationship between the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) and Indonesia’s Antara News Agency is set to be elevated through stronger collaboration, as announced by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil. This development follows a bilateral discussion with Indonesia’s Communication and Digital Minister, Meutya Viada Hafid, where both parties expressed their commitment to advancing the partnership between Bernama and Antara in delivering news.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Minister Fahmi emphasized the importance of maintaining relevancy and credibility, ensuring both agencies continue to provide accurate and balanced information to the people in Malaysia and Indonesia. The discussion with Minister Meutya primarily focused on efforts to bolster ties between the two well-known news agencies. Fahmi highlighted the role of Ikatan Setiakawan Wartawan Malaysia-Indonesia (ISWAMI), an initiative that fosters closer relationships between media organizations in both nations.
Furthermore, Fahmi mentioned that Malaysia is offering assistance to Indonesia in several areas, including social media regulation. The talks also covered important aspects of bilateral cooperation related to communication, media, and digital infrastructure, aligning with the current complex and interconnected information landscape at the regional level.
Minister Meutya acknowledged the challenges faced by Indonesia, particularly concerning online gambling issues prevalent on social media platforms, which require stringent measures. Fahmi noted Malaysia’s experience in implementing regulatory frameworks, offering to share insights, capabilities, and the challenges encountered during implementation with Indonesia.
The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Ministerial Meeting (APT-MM) 2025, themed ‘Harnessing Emerging Technologies for Sustainable, Inclusive and Equitable Digital Transformation in the Asia-Pacific,’ commenced yesterday and spans two days. It gathers 31 member countries and 19 affiliates, including governments, regulators, and private agencies from the Asia-Pacific region.