CAJ Hanoi meeting to tackle Asean integration

MANILA, Philippines - The members of the Confederation of Asean Journalists (CAJ) are in Hanoi, Vietnam up to Sept. 14 for their annual Board of Directors’ meeting to discuss the implementation of their previous agreements and agree on future plans in relation to the forthcoming integration of the region’s economies by next year under the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

“The Hanoi meeting may prove crucial insofar as the future growth of our regional organization is concerned and we thank the Vietnam Journalists Association (VJA), as well as the government of the People’s Republic of Vietnam for playing host to this event,” said Benny Antiporda, vice president of the National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC) and incumbent CAJ president.

Although the participants started arriving since Sept. 9, the most important meeting was held at the Movenpick Hotel on Sept. 12, where Antiporda presented his proposal for “openness” insofar as the holding of the CAJ leadership and presidency is concerned.

“Only by opening the door of leadership to other regular members who are active in the affairs of the CAJ can we be assured its future growth and expansion to cover all recognized and legitimate media organizations in the region,” Antiporda said.

He added “I appeal to all voting delegates present to support me in this regard.”

Antiporda pointed out that under the approved charter of the CAJ that was adopted during the group’s 7th General Assembly in Manila in 1987, the leadership and presidency has been “reserved” on a ‘rotational’ basis for its charter, or founding, members during the general assembly hosted by any one of them for a two-year term.

The CAJ’s founding members during its organizational meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia on March 11, 1975, are: Indonesia through the PWI (Indonesian Journalists Association); Malaysia thru the NUJM (National Union of Journalists of Malaysia); Singapore through the SNUJ (Singapore National Union of Journalists), Thailand thru the CTJ (Confederation of Thailand Journalists) and, the Philippines through the NPC.

Under Article IX of the CAJ Constitution, the group’s president “shall be appointed from the charter member of the country where the meeting of the General Assembly is held.”

Antiporda said the CAJ should now be “realistic and flexible in addressing the challenges of the changing times since the adoption of the group’s charter 27 years ago.

“The fact of the matter is that this ‘exclusivity’ embodied in our charter has hampered the growth of the CAJ as a potent force and as the united voice of media practitioners in the region.

“Instead of being a regional media group active in the promotion of information and cultural exchange between the members of our respective press groups and in assisting to strengthen the diplomatic ties of our countries, as envisioned by our founders, we are still on the level of a regional ‘talking, social club’ that meets from time to time for the pleasure of each other’s company.

“This may hurt the sensibility and pride of some of us and it hurts me too as the CAJ president, but this is the truth,” Antiporda said.

To compensate for “lost times and “opportunities,” Antiporda said he wants Article IX of the CAJ Constitution amended.

“In effect, my proposal is that the presidency of the CAJ be opened up also to its other regular members who have shown their willingness and active participation in carrying forward and implementing our agreements and programs,” he added.

Should Antiporda’s proposal is adopted, it would be ratified during the next general assembly, the venue and schedule of which are to be agreed upon during the directors’ board meeting.

From the original five members, the CAJ now counts Vietnam and Brunei Darussalam as among its regular members while ‘observer status’ has been accorded to Laos and Cambodia.

The application of Timor Leste for membership is also under consideration by the CAJ.

Antiporda noted that with founder-member Singapore inactive in the CAJ affairs in thelast five years and with Brunei not having any national media group, his proposal has become “urgent and important for the sake of the CAJ’s future growth.”

 “We should also take note that the CAJ was founded one year ahead of the founding of the Asean as a regional group during the Asean ‘Head of State’ meeting in Bali, Indonesia, on February 4, 1976.

 “Now, our respective countries are moving towards a common market and yet the CAJ, as the ‘common voice’ of the press community in our own region has been left far behind.

It is now time for all of us to resolve this problem. The sooner we do this, the better,” Antiporda added.