RT wants to highlight ASEAN's potential for Russia

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 14: ASEAN region has a wide range of interesting content in cultural, tourism, economic and technological aspects that can be highlighted to Russian and international audiences through media collaboration.

Denis Bolotsky, Head of the Representative Office for Russia Today (RT) Indonesia and ASEAN said that media relations between Russia and ASEAN countries can be expanded by highlighting perspectives and developments in the region to a wider audience.

He said that among the potential areas to be focused are tourism, including content about the culture and celebrations of Muslim communities in Russia, as well as stories from ASEAN countries that have value for international audiences.

"In addition to politics and diplomacy, there is a growing economic angle in this cooperation. I believe Malaysian companies are interested in the Russian market, while Russian companies are also interested in industrial technology and various other technologies to be brought into this region.

"Through the broadcast of news and content, we can make this more known and open up space for such cooperation", he told TVS, here today.

Denis said the tourism sector also has great potential, especially in promoting more tourist exchanges between Russia and Malaysia, including Sarawak.

According to him, the current constraints include the absence of direct flights between the two countries, but he described it as a temporary situation that could potentially change with the development of flight routes and tourism packages.

"I believe that when we have more direct routes and more information on tourism, with travel companies offering travel packages to Russia for Malaysians and especially from Sarawak, as well as Russians visiting Sarawak, it will be a good route forward.

"I see it as part of economic cooperation and it benefits both countries", he said.

Meanwhile, Denis said Malaysia especially Sarawak also has the potential to stand out in technology due to its position as a global semiconductor technology hub.

"As a journalist who covers this much, I see that one of the advantages of Malaysia and Sarawak is that Malaysia does not impose economic sanctions on Russia.

"In the current situation when Russian companies are looking for competitive advantages and are interested in producing their own hardware as well as computers, investments in this area can be a possibility, especially since Malaysia is friendly to Russian businesses", he explained.

Denis said the media played a role in highlighting potential regarding increasing coverage of economic cooperation opportunities between the two countries.

He said that more extensive dissemination of information on business opportunities, technology, tourism and developments in ASEAN could help to increase understanding between communities and open up space for new collaborations.