KUALA LUMPUR: The ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information (ASEAN-COCI) has approved three communication projects worth approximately US$117,000 for Malaysia during its meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia today.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Communications Ministry announced that the approved projects include the “Guidelines for the Safe and Responsible Use of Social Media for ASEAN”, led by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), which received an allocation of US$39,879. Another initiative, the “Seminar on Developing Training Modules for Combating Fake News in ASEAN 2025”, spearheaded by the Tun Abdul Razak Broadcasting and Information Institute (IPPTAR), was allocated US$47,061.

Additionally, the “Colour of ASEAN (3rd Series)” project by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) secured a grant of US$30,000 through ASEAN-COCI funding. These approvals followed a presentation by Malaysia’s delegation, headed by Ministry of Communications Deputy Secretary-General of Strategic Communicati
ons and Creative Industry, Nik Kamaruzaman Nik Husin, at the ASEAN-COCI meeting. The meeting included delegates from 10 ASEAN member states, with Timor-Leste participating as an observer under the ASEAN+1 framework.

According to the ministry, Malaysia’s proposals were among 11 new project papers presented by four ASEAN countries during the meeting, which was chaired by Has Sam Ath, Under Secretary of State at the Cambodian Ministry of Information.

Nik Kamaruzaman expressed that the approved projects would significantly benefit Malaysia, especially in its role as ASEAN Chair in 2025, by advancing communication and media development across the region. He emphasized that these initiatives are set to create a comprehensive training module aimed at addressing the issue of fake news holistically, benefiting not only Malaysia but the entire ASEAN community.

‘This also reflects ASEAN’s confidence in Malaysia, as evidenced by the approval of substantial funding for projects to be implemented in Kuala Lumpur,’ he s
tated. The Malaysian delegation also included Dr Christina Yeo Ken Yin, Secretary of the International Relations Division of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, and IPPTAR director-general Roslan Ariffin.