The South-South Information Gateway (SSIG) was established as a depository and an exchange centre for information, news and broadcast materials – like documentaries, films, radio and TV programmes – from the South fraternity. These materials are produced by the South nations and offer their own unique perspectives on issues and events in line with SSIG’s main aim of promoting understanding, solidarity, trade and investment among the South countries.

The centre would also be a catalyst to enhance the sharing of experiences, knowledge, expertise and skills, the basics of a smart partnership in facing the increasing challenges of globalisation. It is hoped that the South-South Information Gateway would be a major forum for South countries to tell the whole world what is happening within their own national boundaries through their own eyes and perspectives, thus projecting a more accurate and balanced picture of themselves.

SSIG welcomes all public broadcasting organisations or public agencies in the South fraternity to join them in this endeavor to promote a greater and smoother flow of information between nations. Information gathered will be displayed in the SSIG portal (www.ssig.gov.my) and stored in the SSIG’s E-Depository for retrieval by Smart Partners.

In 2007, SSIG has organised events to share experiences and ideas. They are as follows:

• Forum on Stereotyping by the Media: Implications for South Nations”
• UNESCO Conference on Management of Information Pertaining to Health Crisis”
• Forum on Poverty Eradication: Sharing Experiences and Lessons Learnt Among South Nations”
• Exhibition on “40th Anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)”
• Forum on “Political Stability and Good Governance: Prerequisites to Nation Building”

In 2008, SSIG has launched a new platform for the South-South nations to share information and experiences with an eye for more tangible results. That new platform is a series of luncheon talks, the first of which was by the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Malaysia, H.E. Mohammad Khairuzzaman, who spoke on “Trade and Investment Opportunities in Bangladesh”. Held at the Bukit Kiara Equestrian & Country Resort on March 13, 2008, the talk was attended by about 60 foreign diplomats based in Kuala Lumpur, representatives of the Malaysian private sector and Government officers.

In line with its aim of sharing information, experiences and lessons learnt, the South-South Information Gateway, a division of the Ministry of Information, will work closely with the Malaysia South-South Association (MASSA) to make this luncheon talk events, a tripartite collaboration between the foreign diplomats, the Malaysian private sector and Government agencies, a success.

From the feedback of the participants, SSIG intends to use the lunch meeting to focus on issues and areas of interests of the three sectors. Several of the diplomats have expressed their interest to speak at future events and SSIG plans to provide them with the platform, all within this year. Also lined up are talks by Malaysian officials and SSIG will work with MASSA to bring representatives of the Malaysian private sector into the forum for networking as well as for more tangible results.