Journalists need to discuss regional issues, including the Rohingya crisis - Fahmi

JAKARTA: Malaysian and Indonesian journalists need to discuss regional issues that can impact both countries, including the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said.

He believed that discussions about such topics through a forum at the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) level involving journalists in the region would help raise questions, improve understanding and the sharing of information.

"I would like to see journalists participate in discussions at the ASEAN level about what is going on and the challenges in their countries as well as what can be learned and how to support each other," he said during an online interview with Indonesian media in conjunction with Indonesia's National Journalist Day (HPN) in Medan, North Sumatra this Thursday.

Even though ASEAN champions the principle of not intervening in the internal matters of member countries, the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar has become a sensitive issue to even talk about, he added.

According to Fahmi, Rohingya refugees in Malaysia have become an issue as their numbers have swelled to hundreds of thousands.

"If possible we should form closer ties, not only among Malaysians and Indonesians, but among journalists, who play an important role in sharing stories that we all read," he said.

Another matter he touched upon during the interview was the media challenge in an era where technology has seen the rise of social media as an important way of spreading information and fake news.

On Malaysia-Indonesia ties, Fahmi said Ikatan Setiakawan Wartawan Malaysia-Indonesia (ISWAMI) could play a larger role in strengthening bilateral ties between countries.

He said there were several programmes being planned, including exchange of journalists for a certain period to boost interaction and to experience the current situation in both countries.

Fahmi also apologised for not being able to attend the HPN celebrations as he would be in Boracay, the Philippines for the ASEAN Digital Ministers' Meeting.

He also expressed his commitment to visit Indonesia in the future.

-- BERNAMA