On June 20^th, the Secretary of State for Social Communication, Expedito Loro Dias Ximenes, met in Penang with Malaysia’s Minister of Communications, Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, to discuss opportunities for bilateral cooperation in the media sector. The meeting was also attended by the President of the TATOLI News Agency, Noémio Mateus Soares Falcão, and representatives of the Malaysian news agency BERNAMA. 

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on ways to strengthen relations between Timor-Leste and Malaysia in the media sector, with the aim of promoting the development of professional, credible, and responsible journalism and strengthening institutional capacities.

Among the main topics discussed were the use and regulation of artificial intelligence, strategies to combat fake news and misinformation, and the importance of ongoing training for Timorese journalists, with a view to improving journalism and adapting to technological change.

During the meeting, the Secretary of State for Media also expressed concern about the need for greater presence and involvement of major digital platforms—such as Google, YouTube, and Facebook—in Timor-Leste to contribute to the development of the national media ecosystem.

Malaysia’s Minister of Communications emphasised that cooperation between the two countries in this area will be strengthened through the implementation of the cooperation agreement already signed by the news agencies BERNAMA and TATOLI.

“This agreement will provide an important foundation for promoting the sharing of experiences, human resource development, the exchange of information, and the strengthening of the professional capabilities of the two countries’ government media institutions, enabling them to address the challenges of communication in the digital age,” said Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.

As part of their visit to Malaysia, the Secretary of State for Media, and the delegation from the TATOLI News Agency also attended the welcome dinner for the Hari Wartawan Nasional (HAWANA) 2026 celebrations, on June 19^th, held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Penang.

The event, hosted by the Governor of the State of Penang, Tun Ramli Ngah Talib, in recognition of the media’s role in national development, brought together media representatives, journalists, government officials, and guests from various countries in Southeast Asia.