ASSOCIATION of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn has underscored the role of media in disseminating Asean’s goals, achievements, and challenges to the region’s over 700 million population. Kao stressed this on Nov. 6 during the opening of the 2025 Asean Media Forum hosted by Malaysia. The 11-member Asean is composed of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Timor-Leste officially joined the regional grouping in October 2025. Launched by the Asean Secretariat in 2017, the Asean Media Forum served as an “important platform as well as a bridge between Asean and the public.” “Over the years, the Asean Media Forum has evolved into a very important platform for Asean, through the Asean Chair, to convey our region’s priorities, progress, as well as challenges that we face, to the media,” Kao said. “So clearly, we do not just look only at our achievements, accomplishments and successes, but also look at where the region as a whole could face some challenges as well,” he added. Kao noted that media has been “evolving rapidly” to where it is today. “Basically, everything has become instant — from instant noodles, instant cash, and now, instant media,” he said. “I also understand that media needs to disseminate things, like the scoops and the headlines, quite fast,” the Asean secretary-general said. “But I would like to underline that there is also a lot of misinformation and disinformation out there, particularly on social media.” “That is why it is important we have this platform so that we work together to convey news and information on the latest developments in the region, particularly in this case, Asean,” he added. Kao said that “a time when misinformation can travel faster than facts, your role in communicating information, truth and context is indeed invaluable.” “This is why your presence here today is importance to us,” Kao told journalists from Asean member-states. “Through your reporting and storytelling, you can help audiences better understand and appreciate the work of Asean and its efforts to enhance the quality of life for people across the Asean region,” he said. Kao said media stands as a “vital source of news, information and knowledge, a voice of trust and credibility, and a bridge that connects people and communities.” “Through your engagement, we can continue to share how Asean’s collective efforts enable our peoples to grow, thrive, and prosper — today and for generations to come,” he said.