Being part of the 1st ASEAN Media Forum ...

Remember Maria Ressa? Formerly with CNN, she is now managing director ABS-CBN News Channel, Philippines, the station that produced hit television dramas like 'Pangako Sayo'. Maria and I sat in the panel to discuss "An ASEAN Voice In The Global Media" at the 1st ASEAN Media Forum organised by the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC) in Bangkok today. Others in the panel were Kyaw Min Swe (Chief Editor, Living Colour Magazine, Myanmar), Yuli Ismartono (Editor, Asianviews, Indonesia) and Philip Bowring (International Herald Tribune correspondent, Hong Kong). The discussion was moderated by Dr Nattha Komolvadhin, senior and anchorwoman, TPBS, Thailand).
Held under the theme of "Harnessing The Media for ASEAN Integration", the one-day forum is being organised just prior to the ASEAN Summit taking place in Hua Hin, some 150kms from Bangkok. The media forum is expected to be the first of an annual event which would be organised in conjunction with the ASEAN Summit each year in collaboration with a local media partner such as the national television channel.
The panel discussion in this first media forum is conducted in the style of a television talk show. It is filmed by the Thai Public Broadcasting Service (TPBS or Thai PBS)for broadcast and packaging as an educational resource. The audience also get to ask panelists questions.

Friendship treaty ...

The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) was signed on 24 February 1976 in Bali during the First ASEAN Summit. The signatories were the five founding members: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

It aims to "promote perpetual peace, everlasting amity and cooperation among their peoples which would contribute to their strength, solidarity and closer relationship".

The remaining five members inked the TAC later.
Brunei (7 January 1984), Laos (29 June 1992), Vietnam (22 July 1992), Cambodia (23 January 1995) and Myanmar (27 July 1995).
Fifteen countries that are not ASEAN member states have acceded to the TAC:
1. Papua New Guinea (5 July 1989)
2. China (8 October 2003)
3. India (8 October 2003)
4. Japan (2 July 2004)
5. Pakistan (2 July 2004)
6. Republic of Korea (27 November 2004)
7. Russian Federation (29 November 2004)
8. Mongolia (28 July 2005)
9. New Zealand (28 July 2005)
10. Australia (10 December 2005)
11. France (13 January 2007)
12. Timor-Leste (13 January 2007)
13. Sri Lanka (30 July 2007)
14. Bangladesh (30 July 2007)
15. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (24 July 2008)

Asean Secretariat

Change the world ...

Driving to the office today, the words printed on the T-shirt of a motorcyclist in front of me caught my attention -- "Change The World".
Instantaneously, the question "How?" popped up in my mind.
Yes, how can he or me or we change the world.
I related about this later in the afternoon at the start of my talk on "The Role of the Media in Public Diplomacy" at the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations.
Public diplomacy has been widely seen as the transparent means by which a country communicates with publics in other countries aimed at informing and influencing audiences overseas to promote its national interest and advancing its foreign policy goals. The task is primarily handled by the Foreign Ministry.
At its best, journalism or the media can build bridges to change the world by promoting understanding between nations.
Journalists can no longer afford to just tell who, what, when and how as these essential fact-gathering tasks are increasingly redistributed among a growing number of online users who represent new voices that are being heard loud and wide.
Today journalists are the moderators of global conversation in which they provide context, nuance, commentary and enhanced understanding of events.

A friendly advice from Down Under...

A school-mate from our VI days, who’ve made it big Down Under, gave me a friendly advice on how to become financially-sound in life.
“Don’t worry about the money, somehow it’ll find you,” he told me as we chatted on Facebook.
With only $200 in his pocket when he set foot in Australia years ago, Derek now owns several properties including a beautiful home in Melbourne which he ‘humbly’ displayed on his FB.
“You’ve got to do it because you’re passionate about it, not because you want to make $3 million in 2 years.
“You’ve got to believe in your work too.
So whenever I take on a project, I always live in it, I eat, sleep, drink and do nothing but become the object of what I’m trying to do,” he said.

VI becomes national heritage site ...

After being known as Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Victoria, the school was today accorded national heritage status and reverts to its old name of Victoria Institution (VI).
"The world already knows its name as Victoria Institution so it is my pleasure to announce that its name, beginning today, will remain as Victoria Institution," said Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal.
Speaking at a ceremony to declare the school's national heritage status, Shafie said the school was chosen as it met the criteria of the National Heritage Act 2005.
Shafie, an alumnus of the school, said VI played a role in the country's history when it was used as the administrative headquarters by the invading Japanese army during the Second World War.
The school was also the first English secondary school in the country that had produced important personalities from Sultans, leaders, ministers, corporate figures, politicians to sports luminaries and professionals.
He said the school was the first in Southeast Asia to have cadet corps and a school band.
Shafie called for the school's heritage to be conserved as each characteristic "be it a wall, a window, balcony, roof, tower or its field has its own story."
Founded by Sultan Abdul Samad, William Hood Treacher, Loke Yew, Thamboosamy Pillai and Yap Kwan Seng on Aug 14, 1893, Victoria Institution has steadfastly maintained a record of academic excellence and produced many leaders and luminaries.
VI ParentTeachers Association (PTA) chairman Raja Amir Shah Raja Abdul Aziz said now that the school had been bestowed national heritage status, with its illustrious name restored, a strategic plan needed to be formulated to chart the school's future direction.
"After the heritage do and getting back the VI name, all of us the PTA, old boys, the teachers and community should make VI the best in everything,” he said.

"I love my healthy active childhood"...

4 February is World Cancer Day and the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) is launching "I love my healthy active childhood" campaign for this year.

UICC says the prevalence of overweight and obesity is rising dramatically among adults and children around the world.
According to the World Health Organization, 1 billion adults are overweight, and at least 300 million of these are clinically obese.
The International Obesity Taskforce estimates that one out of every ten school-age children is overweight. Of these, around 30-45 million children, that is 2-3% of children aged 5-17, are obese.
Being overweight or obese has been shown to increase the risk of cancer among adults.
World Cancer Day 2009 marks the start of a year-long campaign, where UICC will work with parents, teachers and decision-makers around the world to encourage kids to eat a healthy diet, be physically active and maintain a healthy body weight.

Silver Jubilee Sultan of Perak ...

Today marks the Silver Jubilee of the Reign of Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak.