RI, Malaysia renewing MOU on broadcast, information exchange

Secretary General of Indonesia`s Communications and Informatics Ministry Aswhin Sasongko made the remark on the sidelines of the Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) of the two countries` information ministries here Wednesday.

Indonesia wished to enhance cooperation in broadcast and information exchange mainly in the areas of broadcasting, information, news exchange, documentation and cooperation between Malaysia`s TV stations and Indonesia`s private TV stations, Aswhin said.

"The most important point in the SOM is a discussion on how to make Indonesian newspapers circulate in Malaysia and Malaysian papers in Indonesia," he said.

He said the expected exchanges of information and newspapers were intended to make news on Indonesia and Malaysia balanced and uphold mutual respect.

Ashwin said the SOM also discussed the follow-up to the results of an agreement reached at the meeting in Malaysia in August, 2007, including the realization of the previous MoU before the renewed MoU is signed by Indonesia`s Communications and Informatics Minister Muhammad Nuh and Malaysia`s Information Minister Dato Ahmad Shabery Cheek on Thursday, June 11, 2008.

Ashwin said the cooperation between the two countries covered exchange of phonograph records and cassettes containing music and songs, document exchange and broadcasting materials on information about culture, news programs, sports, drama, broadcasts for children, which reflect development activities in each country both in the form of radio and television broadcasting.

The SOM as part of the 9th Joint Committee on Information Meeting between Indonesia and Malaysia is taking place in Jakarta (June 11-12, 2008).

Meanwhile, acting Director General for Communication Means and Information Dissemination, Freddy Tulung, said the additional points in the cooperation on exchange of information and news also included more positive feature stories on the conditions in Indonesia and Malaysia.

"For instance, ...