The official visit of a delegation of about 30 media members from Perak to Medan, Indonesia from February 18 to 20 saw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Persatuan Wartawan Muslim (PWM) Perak, Malaysia and Persatuan Wartawan Indonesia (PWI) Provinsi Sumatera Utara (North Sumatera Press Club).
The objective of the MoU, which was signed at a luncheon hosted by North Sumatera Governor Ir. H. Tengku Erry Nuradi, M.Si at his residence, is to foster a closer working relationship between the two parties, particularly in the area of journalism.
Erry said, “With this MoU signed, these two parties can learn from each other through different activities that will be held. It is a win-win relationship that benefits both sides. This is the first time journalists from both countries are collaborating in their common field. I am optimistic this will be a great experience for media practitioners from Perak and North Sumatera.”
In the evening, the delegation was also received by the mayor of Medan City, Dzulmi Eldin. He, too, was confident that this visit would bring a positive impact to both cities, not only in journalism but also in other areas, such as business and tourism.
“This visit to Medan will give Perak journalists a first-hand experience of our city. Your positive impression of Medan is important to us and we hope that through the sharing of knowledge and by comparing our cities, we are able to learn and build up one another,” he said.
Following dinner was a serious discussion on the role of the media in the era of ASEAN Economic Community (MEA). The dialogue resulted in the establishment of a forum for communication between journalists from ASEAN nations, beginning with Indonesia and Malaysia.
Emily Lowe
