KUALA LUMPUR: The Singapore-Malaysia Joint Committee on Information and Communications Co-operation has begun a meeting today in the island republic to discuss ways and means to enhance co-operation in the fields of info-communications and media.

The Ministry of Communications and Multimedia said in a statement that the two-day meeting is co-chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Singapore Ministry of Communications and Information, Gabriel Lim, and the Secretary General of the Malaysian Ministry of Communications and Multimedia, Datuk Seri Dr Sharifah Zarah Syed Ahmad.

“At the Joint Committee meeting, officials from Malaysia’s Ministry of Communications and Multimedia and Singapore’s Ministry of Communications and Information will discuss areas of co-operation in television and film production, info-communications media development, exchange of news, government communications and digital technology,” it said.

Malaysia and Singapore signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last year to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fields.

In conjunction with the meeting, Singapore will also host the ‘Muzika Ekstravaganva’ (Muzika) tomorrow night. Malaysian Minister of Communications and Multimedia Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak and Singapore Minister of Communications and Information Dr Yaacob Ibrahim will be the guests of honour at the annual variety co-production.

Muzika, which has entered its 11th year, is jointly produced by Malaysia’s Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) and Singapore’s Mediacorp. The programme underscores the close ties and collaboration between officials, broadcasters and artistes of the two countries.

The audience can look forward to a night of star-studded performances at Muzika, which is set to the theme of “Love and Music”. Muzika will be broadcast simultaneously on Malaysia’s RTM TV2 and Mediacorp’s Suria channels from 9 pm.

“Muzika reflects the longstanding and excellent cooperation between Malaysia and Singapore in the field of info-communications and media,” the ministry statement said.

Meanwhile, Dr Sharifah Zarah said it was hoped that the outcome of this consultation would not only permit greater agency to agency cooperation in the fields of information and communications but also provide a set of action plans to be implemented expeditiously and successfully to translate the objectives of the MoU into vibrant and continuously evolving collaboration.

Lim said it was hoped that the committee would serve as a valuable platform to drive bilateral cooperation in the two fields.

He said the digital transformation development in the two countries would bring many exciting opportunities and also strengthen cooperation on common issues such as cyber security and digital literacy.

“Through the Joint Committee, we can share our experiences, develop new partnerships and learn from one another and, in so doing, enhance the excellent relations between Singapore and Malaysia,” he said