KUALA LUMPUR, 28 Nov (Bernama) -- Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi (ICT) perlu dijadikan satu platform bagi menjalin ikatan persahabatan yang utuh serta berkekalan dalam kalangan negara Asean, kata Menteri Komunikasi dan Multimedia Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.
Beliau berkata Internet adalah alat yang sangat berkuasa dalam mengubah cara orang ramai berkomunikasi serta menjadikan dunia semakin kecil kerana semua maklumat boleh diperoleh dengan hanya sekali klik.
"Dengan menggunakan ICT sebagai platform, kami ingin menggalakkan anda agar menjalin persahabatan yang berkekalan. Lebih banyak ia terjalin, maka kita akan bertambah kukuh sebagai sebuah keluarga dalam Asean.
"TGIF membolehkan kita semua berhubung dengan begitu mudah. TGIF ini bukan bermaksud 'Thank God it's Friday' sebaliknya 'Twitter, Google, Instagram dan Facebook," katanya ketika menutup Kem Siber Kanak-Kanak Asean Maxis ke-5 2013 di sini hari ini.
Ditubuh pada 2002, kem itu sebahagian daripada usaha korporat Maxis bagi membantu merapatkan jurang digital menerusi langkah, antara lain, mengagih peralatan ICT kepada pelajar Asean yang terdiri daripada negara Brunei Darussalam, Kemboja, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Filipina, Singapura, Thailand dan Vietnam.
"Di Asean, masih terdapat ramai yang tidak memiliki kemudahan Internet. Di sinilah Kanak-Kanak Siber seperti anda semua memainkan peranan. Apabila anda pulang, sila kongsi pengalaman dan kepakaran ini dengan semua rakan anda.
"Lebih banyak anda memahami budaya dan tradisi sesama sendiri, anda akan menjadi lebih rapat serta lebih menghormati antara satu sama lain," katanya.
Ahmad Shabery juga berkata memandangkan Asean bakal menjadi satu komuniti menjelang 2015, inisiatif seperti Kem Siber Kanak-Kanak diharap mampu memupuk rasa kekitaan dalam kalangan keluarga Asean.
"Dengan saling menghubungi satu sama lain di Malaysia dan terus kekal berhubung selepas anda pulang, anda sebenarnya mengambil langkah yang kecil namun amat bermakna ke arah merealisasikan Asean sebagai satu komuniti," katanya.
Ahmad Shabery turut menyampaikan hadiah kepada pemenang Cabaran Kanak-Kanak Siber Maxis 2013 iaitu Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Seri Gading, Johor; SMK Bario, Sabah; dan SMK Bandar Chiku, Kelantan.
Sejumlah 51 pelajar dan 19 guru mengambil bahagian dalam kem itu, yang bertema 'Impacting Lives With Technology'.
-- BERNAMA
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KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- Information and Communication Technology (ICT) should serve as a platform to build lasting and stronger friendships among Asean countries, said Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.
He noted that the Internet was an extremely powerful tool which had changed the way people communicate, making the world smaller with information available at the click of the mouse.
"By using ICT as a platform, we want to encourage you to build lasting friendships. The more friendships we build, the stronger we are as an Asean family.
"TGIF keeps us connected and in touch with each other easily. TGIF doesn't stand for 'Thank God it's Friday', but 'Twitter, Google, Instagram and Facebook," he said when closing the 5th Maxis Asean Cyberkids Camp 2013 here Thursday.
Established in 2002, the camp is part of Maxis' corporate effort to help bridge the digital divide by, among others, distributing ICT tools to students in Asean which comprises Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
"In Asean, there are still many who don't have the Internet. This is where Cyberkids like you have a role to play. When you go home, please share your experiences and skills with all your friends.
"The more you understand about each other's culture and traditions, the closer you become and your respect for each other grows," Ahmad Shabery said.
Noting that Asean would become a single community by 2015, he said that initiatives like the Cyberkids camp would hopefully lead to teenagers having a stronger sense of belonging to the Asean family.
"By connecting with each other here in Malaysia and staying connected after you (Cyberkids) leave, you're making small but very meaningful steps in the journey towards Asean becoming one community," he said.
Ahmad Shabery also presented awards to the winners of the Maxis Cyberkids Challenge 2013, namely from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Seri Gading, Johor; SMK Bario, Sabah; and SMK Bandar Chiku, Kelantan.
A total of 51 students and 19 teachers took part in the camp which ran on the theme 'Impacting Lives with Technology'.
-- BERNAMA
