Kuala Lumpur (ANTARA) - The 21st General Assembly of the ASEAN\nJournalists\u2019 Confederation (CAJ) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Monday,\nproduced the Kuala Lumpur Declaration, which will serve as a compass for\nadoption in the confederation\u2019s future journey.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis Kuala Lumpur Declaration serves as a compass, which will then\nbe translated into an action plan,\u201d said CAJ Secretary General Ahmed\nKurnia to ANTARA in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.<\/p>\n
In the Kuala Lumpur Declaration, the ASEAN Journalists\u2019\nConfederation, among other things, agreed to reaffirm the collective\ncommitment to strengthening journalism in the ASEAN region, amidst\nglobal challenges and continuously changing technological\ndevelopments.<\/p>\n
The confederation also recalled the Bali Declaration adopted on 12\u201314\nOctober 2022, and reaffirmed its principles in promoting a healthy,\nfree, and responsible press, grounded in professionalism, ethics, and\nregional cooperation.<\/p>\n
CAJ recognises that rapid technological advancements, including\nartificial intelligence (AI), are transforming the media landscape,\nchanging the way information is produced, distributed, and consumed.<\/p>\n
CAJ agrees that while AI presents opportunities to enhance\njournalistic efficiency, data analysis, and audience engagement, this\ntechnology also poses risks, including the spread of misinformation,\nerosion of public trust, and potential misuse in generating misleading\nor harmful content.<\/p>\n
CAJ also asserts that the role of professional journalists remains\nirreplaceable in verifying information, providing context, and upholding\ntruth, especially in the era of automated content and algorithm-driven\ninformation flows.<\/p>\n
All CAJ members are encouraged to use AI responsibly, ethically, and\ntransparently in journalism, ensuring that the technology serves as a\ncomplement, not a replacement, for human editorial judgement and\naccountability.<\/p>\n
CAJ also agrees that protection must be strengthened to maintain\ninformation integrity, including clear standards on the use of\nAI-generated content, disclosure practices, and mechanisms to combat\ndeepfakes and other forms of synthetic media.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, CAJ reaffirms that press freedom is an essential\nfoundation for democratic societies, sustainable development, and\nregional stability, and expresses concern over the increasing pressures\nfaced by journalists, including legal restrictions, harassment, and\nthreats to safety, both in physical and digital spaces.<\/p>\n
CAJ urges its members to collectively advocate for an enabling\nenvironment that upholds freedom of expression, access to information,\nand protection of journalists, in line with international principles and\nASEAN aspirations.<\/p>\n
CAJ emphasises that a fair and balanced regulatory framework is\ncrucial to ensure that global digital platforms and emerging\ntechnologies operate responsibly, respect local contexts, and support\nthe sustainability of media organisations in ASEAN.<\/p>\n
The confederation also agrees that closer collaboration among CAJ\nmembers is essential to address these challenges, including through\nknowledge sharing, capacity building, and joint initiatives on AI\nliteracy, digital resilience, and ethical journalism practices.<\/p>\n
The delegates also reaffirmed their commitment to continue serving as\na bridge connecting ASEAN societies, fostering mutual understanding,\npeace, and cooperation through credible and responsible reporting.<\/p>\n
To realise these goals, the confederation commits to developing an\nupdated action plan focused on strengthening media resilience,\nprotecting press freedom, and promoting ethical innovation in the\ndigital era.<\/p>\n
CAJ Secretary General Ahmed Kurnia stated that in the CAJ Board\nMeeting, Irfan Junaidi, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Division of\nthe Indonesian Journalists\u2019 Association (PWI), representing the\nIndonesian delegation, presented proposals for the CAJ\u2019s future action\nplan.<\/p>\n
Irfan proposed, among other things, that ASEAN journalists unite\nbecause they have bargaining power to face global platforms, which is\nclosely related to the erosion of mainstream media advertorials.<\/p>\n
This proposal was agreed upon and noted as one of the CAJ\u2019s future\naction plans.<\/p>\n
Another proposal put forward by Indonesia in the forum was the\nestablishment of a joint fact-checking network to combat hoaxes,\ndisinformation, and the like in the region.<\/p>\n
In the 21st CAJ General Assembly, Indonesia officially handed over\nthe CAJ leadership to Malaysia, marked by the handover of the CAJ flag\nor banner by the previous CAJ President Atal S. Depari to the new CAJ\nPresident Low Boon Tat, with Malaysia to lead CAJ for two years.<\/p>\n
Subsequently, in the CAJ Board Meeting, it was also decided that the\nleadership after Malaysia would be taken by the Philippines for two\nyears, and then handed over to Cambodia.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asean-journalists-confederation-adopts-kuala-lumpur-declaration-1777301853", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }