Bernama and Antara hold summit to strengthen ties...

Bernama and Antara, the Indonesian news agency, are holding a summit in Bandung today to enhance cooperation as Asean moves towards becoming a community next year.

Themed "Bersama Merintis Kejayaan", Bernama's delegation was led by its editor-in-chief Datuk Zulkefli Salleh, while Antara was led by its chief executive officer Saiful Hadi.
The first summit was held in Melaka in 2011.  

Opening the summit, Indonesian Permanent Representative to ASEAN, Rahmat Pramono said media must play a more active role in disseminating information on the benefits of having an ASEAN Community.
He said at present, the level of awareness among the public in this region was very low despite the fact that an ASEAN Community would create many opportunities.
As such, he said the Indonesian news agency, Antara, and the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), as well as other news agencies in ASEAN member countries, must continue to give their support and cooperation in enhancing public awareness and understanding about the ASEAN Community.

"The ASEAN Community 2015 is in front of us, but the biggest challenge is public awareness," said Rahmat.

ASEAN leaders had, in principle, agreed that three elements - politics and security, economy, as well as social and culture - to be the main agenda in the setting up of the community.

"It is also hoped that the cooperation between Antara and Bernama will continue to persist and that it will help in the setting up of the ASEAN Community 2015," he said.
H e said the Antara-Bernama Summit would become the catalyst to strengthen Indonesia-Malaysia ties, especially in facing the challenges and competition in the setting up of the ASEAN Community 2015.
-- BERNAMA