Spreading its wings abroad...

The Malaysian national news agency, Bernama, which turns 37 today is set for global presence. It will open six overseas bureaus this year and in 2006 to widen its international news coverage. Information Minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir announced today the bureaus will be in Bangkok, Beijing, Dubai, London, Washington and New Delhi. The Bangkok bureau will be opened this year to be followed by the rest next year. Abdul Kadir said the Bangkok bureau would help enhance bilateral ties between Malaysia and Thailand, through wider dissemination and exchange of information especially in the economic and social fields. He also described as timely the opening of Bernama's offices in Beijing and New Delhi as both countries were now emerging as one of the world's most powerful economic players. Prior to this, Bernama news coverage from Washington and London were handled by retainers but the opening of the bureaus in the two major cities, would help the news agency despatch full-time correspondents. With the setting up of the bureaus, Bernama will have eight foreign bureaus, in addition to existing offices in Singapore and Jakarta.