Somri Adopts Malaysia's Proposal On Convergence Of Media, Culture Portals

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 29 (Bernama) -- The Asean Senior Officials Meeting Responsible for Information (Somri) has adopted two Malaysian proposals -- the setting up of the Asean Consolidated Media Portal and the integrated Asean Quiz. Information Communications and Culture Ministry secretary-general Kamaruddin Siaraf said the proposals would be brought up to the 11th Conference of the Asean Ministers Responsible for Information (Amri) on Thursday for consideration. He said the setting up of the Asean Consolidated Media Portal was aimed at converging media and culture portals to enable the people in the region, including Malaysia to keep abreast with development in the region and Amri's activities, including through its dialogue partners. The convergence will also enable the portal to get more hits from surfers who usually visit media and culture portals separately, he told reporters after Somri here Tuesday. On the Asean Quiz, Kamaruddin said Malaysia would no longer be responsible in preparing the questions for Somri had agreed to set up a question bank by capitalising on source books created by Asean education ministers. "This will further improve the knowledge of our children on Asean development," he added. Kamaruddin said other proposals adopted by Somri included the Asean Digital Broadcasting Cooperation where Asean members agreed to migrate from the DDVT1 to the DVVT2 digital broadcasting technology. On Amri, he said Information Communications and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim would delve on the need to leverage on social media to promote awareness on the Asean Community on Thursday. Meanwhile, Somri will have a dialogue with its three dialogue partners, China, Japan and South Korea (Asean-Somri+3) Wednesday. -- BERNAMA