ASEAN takes steps to get 'more wired'

ASEAN takes steps to get 'more wired'

KUALA LUMPUR (DPA): Southeast Asian telecommunications ministers agreed late last week on key measures to be taken to get the region "more wired" and interconnected to help boost investments and economic growth.

The ASEAN ministers, who held their first-ever annual meeting in Kuala Lumpur, agreed Friday to set up working groups to identify projects to develop the region's telecommunications and information technology sectors.

They also signed an agreement stating the grouping's resolve to cooperate and collaborate on telecommunications issues, and launched the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) which harmonizes test and certification procedures for the sale of telecom equipment in ASEAN markets.

Malaysia's telecommunications minister, Leo Moggie, who chaired the meeting, said the decisions taken by the ministers would help ensure that ASEAN would not "be left behind" in the fast pace of the information era.

The ministers agreed to improve regional information infrastructure, narrow the digital divide among ASEAN countries, upgrade training of skilled workers, develop local Internet content, promote e-commerce, and step up intra-ASEAN telecommunications investments.

They also agreed to formulate regulatory policies, remove barriers that block e-commerce, and invited the private sector for dialogue through the formation of an ASEAN telecommunications business forum.

In a joint statement issued at the end of their meeting, the ASEAN ministers also said they hoped to hold regular meetings with their counterparts from China, Japan and South Korea as well with the U.S.-ASEAN business council.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Moggie said ASEAN welcomed any help and assistance from other countries, such as Japan, for the grouping's planned projects.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who opened the meeting earlier Friday, described it as timely, given the rapid global development of knowledge-based economies that would impact on developing countries, including ASEAN.

He said a knowledge-based economy could help ASEAN countries "leapfrog" their development, but stressed that regional countries need to urgently train skilled workers to take advantage of the Information Age.

"The new economic playing field, characterized by the digital revolution, offers us in the ASEAN region a tremendous opportunity to play the game according to our own rules," he said.

Mahathir, whose government is developing a 750-square kilometer high-tech multimedia hub south of Kuala Lumpur, also proposed the creation of an ASEAN Network Coordination Center that would monitor problems such as cyber-crime, pornography, "hate" websites and computer hacking.

"It is imperative that adequate measures be taken to formulate a comprehensive and fool-proof regulatory and legislative framework, particularly for the conduct of e-commerce activities," he said.

The idea for an ASEAN-level meeting was raised last year during an informal meeting of telecommunications ministers from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Mexico.

About 70 participants attended the Kuala Lumpur meeting, which will include a visit on Saturday by the ministers to the Multimedia Super Corridor hub.

ASEAN, or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.