Malaysia urges ASEAN to enhance ICT cooperation with RoK
Malaysia has called on ASEAN to continue to enhance cooperation in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector with the Republic of Korea (RoK) to further accelerate the regional digital economy.
Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin (AFP/VNA)
Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysia has called on ASEAN to continueto enhance cooperation in the information and communication technology (ICT)sector with the Republic of Korea (RoK) to further accelerate the regional digital economy.
Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin highly regarded the RoK as aworld-leader in ICT who is making use of the digital economy to further driveproductivity.
Cooperation between ASEAN and the RoK in the propagation of digital economywould provide the technology-savvy masses with the means to engage in digitaleconomy and ultimately enhance the productivity and economic output of ASEANMicro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), despite the currenteconomic slowdown caused by COVID-19, he said in the 21st ASEAN-RoK Summit onNovember 12.
The summit, which was held as part of the 37th ASEAN Summit, was hosted byVietnam via video conference due to the ongoing pandemic.
Muhyiddin said with a population of more than 650 million people and acombined gross domestic product of more than 2.6 trillion USD while the MSMEs account for more than 60 percent of employment in theregion, Malaysia believed that ASEAN is becoming a magnet for expanding businessesand startups looking to test their novel innovations, particularly due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.
Southeast Asia is progressing in the digital era with its fast-growing,mobile-first, rapidly expanding tech-savvy middle class, he said, hoping thatthe ICT cooperation with the RoK will further spur this trend.
He also expected that the signing and implementation of the RegionalComprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) would send a strong message on theimportance of strengthening regional economic integration and further spureconomic growth between the two sides./.
The Republic of Korea (RoK) and Malaysia on March 13 agreed to launch negotiations toward a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) and push for their conclusion before the end of this year.
The Republic of Korea (RoK) will hold the third round of free trade talks with Malaysia this week with the aim of striking a deal before November, said the RoK Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy.
Korean President Moon Jae-in and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad agreed on November 28 to elevate relations between the two countries to a "strategic partnership" next year.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin (AFP/VNA) 
