SINGAPORE, Feb 1 – The government of each ASEAN member state must seriously address challenges that undermine the people’s trust in the digital systems, said Minister for Communications and Information of Singapore Josephine Teo.
“Specifically, we have to do much more to combat scams carried out with the help of digital technologies,” she said in her address at the opening of the 4th ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting (ADGMIN) today.
Citing the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, Teo said US$1.4 trillion was lost to scams worldwide between August 2022 to August 2023 and in Asia alone, and more than 60 per cent of people encountered at least one scam each week.
“Scams are now a transnational problem, with criminals and cybercrime syndicates using digital tools to operate at scale and at speed, across borders,” she said.
According to a statement issued by the republic’s Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), Singapore is chairing and hosting the 4th ADGMIN for two days from Thursday (Feb 1), along with concurrent meetings.
The meetings involve delegates from ASEAN Member States alongside Dialogue and Development Partners such as China, Japan, the United States, and the International Telecommunications Union, it said.
Malaysia is represented by Minister of Digital, Gobind Singh Deo.
“The active participation of these countries underlines the growing importance of the digital domain and the ASEAN region’s digital efforts,” said the ministry.
MCI noted that this year’s ADGMIN welcomes first-time participant Timor-Leste as an observer.
Teo is hosting the meeting as Chair, with Thailand’s Minister of Digital Economy and Society, Prasert Janthararuangthong, as Vice-Chair.
The theme of this year’s ADGMIN is “Building an Inclusive and Trusted Digital Ecosystem”.
ADGMIN 2024 serves as a pivotal platform that brings together the collaborative endeavours of the ASEAN Member States in digitally transforming the region.
“This collective effort aims to enhance the digital skills and competency of every ASEAN citizen, fostering an environment ready to embrace emerging technologies and elevate the quality of life for citizens and businesses,” said the ministry.
