e-Newsletter
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1st Edition, 2020
Messagefrom Asocio Chairman

David Wong
Webinars:

FITIS
Smart Cities Network
Global Victoria/MABC

MOU

MOU with Smart
Cities Network (SCN)
Events in 2020

Updates and Upcoming Eventsfrom Member Economies

AI Policy

Paper

Executive Summary2 // ASOCIO E-NEWSLETTER | 2020

Message fromASOCIO Chairman

David Wong
The first half of year 2020 has been a turbulent
year indeed. What seemed like a localized
influenza infection turned into a global pandemic
that crippled the world economy this year. Many
countries have opted for lockdowns, closing of theborders, halting economic activities and instituting
social distancing norms to curb the spread of the virus. Thishas proven successful in containing the pandemic especially in
the ASOCIO region.
All that comes with some pains. Many of us had to adjust to the new way of life. From doing business tosocial interactions. Countries had to grapple with the slowing economy and the impact of a recession andunemployment. Stimulus fiscal and financial incentives had to be put in place to keep the economy going
and unemployment at bay. Even with those measures, many countries recorded double digit contraction in
their economies in Q2 2020.
As we enter the second half of the year, the storm clouds have not cleared yet. Economic activity thatground to a halt has returned albeit at a slower than usual pace. Travel restrictions are still enforced whilesocial distancing and Work-From-Home have been come the new normal.
At ASOCIO, we have also taken cognizant of the developments. The pandemic has affected many of ourmember associations in the region. The board of ASOCIO has met and taken steps to mitigate some of the
impact of the pandemic.
One of the first measures ASOCIO has undertaken is to increase our reach to webinars. We have partnered
our members are brought a series of webinars to you. These include:• 1st webinar Forum in collaboration with FITIS: Global ICT Opportunities in the New Normal held on 5 May
2020- The virtual forum discussed on ICT opportunities deriving as Post Covid-19 response reciprocities
available in the Asia Pacific regionnd• 2 ASOCIO Webinar: Digital Roundtable-Transforming & Enabling Smart Cities of Tomorrow (Incollaboration with SCN) - 10 June 2020
- This Digital Roundtable aims to provide the opportunity for key stakeholders from the national andcity governments and industry leaders to gain perspectives on how leaders of smart cities would put
in place a strategy with execution capabilities of their staff and ecosystem stakeholders.

3 // ASOCIO E-NEWSLETTER | 2020••

3rd webinar in collaboration with Global Victoria, through the Victorian eCommerce Network, and the
Malaysia Australia Business Council (MABC): ‘$300 billion by 2025. Southeast Asia’s internet economy’- 26 August 2020
Another upcoming collaborative webinar with Smart Cities Network will be held in September 2020 andwill be on Investments for a Smart Indonesia

We can also look forward to our Smart Cities Summit. This year the event will be held in conjunction with
PIKOM’s TechFest2020 and Road to WCIT from 18-20 November in Penang, Malaysia. This event will be a
hybrid of physical and virtual.
As part of our efforts to deepen collaboration with the Smart Cities Network, ASOCIO has inked aMemorandum Of Understanding (MoU) effective from 1 August 2020 till 31 December 2022. The purpose of
the MoU will be to work on programs inline with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
I am also happy to report that the ASOCIO Policy Task Force has released an AI Policy Guidance on 26 June
2020. A report is included in this newsletter and you may also access the full report on our website. A special
thanks to the team consisting of:
Chair:
Vice Chairs :
		
		
		
		
		

Seiichi Ito, JISAMac Yokozawa JISA
See Kiat Yao, SGTECH
Bunrak Saraggananda, ATCI
Rajesh Nambiar, NASSCOMJohn Choi, FKII
Abdullah Kafi, BCS

I would also like to put on record our sincere appreciation to Mr Woon Tai Hai, who has served diligently andeffectively as Secretary General of ASOCIO from 1 March 2019 to 30 April 2020. In his tenure will ASOCIO,
he has driven a number of initiatives including the publishing of policy papers, organizing of the ASOCIO
Digital Summit in Kuala Lumpur and the ASOCIO Coffee Table Book. As an interim measure, PIKOM will stepin to support the Secretariat until a permanent Secretary General is selected. This would only take place
towards the end of this year.
Another person that I would like to thank is Ms. Junko Kawauchi, JISA who has resigned end of May 2020.
My sincere thanks and appreciation to Ms Junko who has given her fullest support to ASOCIO.
While Covid-19 has cast a pall on the horizon, the technology industry is full or promise and opportunities.
During the period of lockdown, demand for IT services, e-commerce and technology in general have seen aspike. The time for digitalization is now.
I look forward to engaging with you.
Thank you.
David Wong
ASOCIO Chairman

4 // ASOCIO E-NEWSLETTER | 2020

AI Policy Paper
Executive summary
Artificial Intelligence (AI) — digital systems that can learn, reason, make decisions and act on
their own to achieve design goals — has mixed perceptions because of the way it is sometimes
presented as challenging human autonomy in negative ways. In contrast, mature AI systems
have been safely used for many years with very positive effects — where AI includes ‘expert
systems’ support medical diagnoses, ‘big data’ enables more accurate weather forecasting,‘neural networks’ support the spellchecking of this document, and ‘machine intelligence’
guides us around traffic jams.
AI is evolving rapidly: as humans collaborate increasingly with machines, there is potential for
fundamental economic and social transformations bringing with them significant new andexisting market growth opportunities. The economic benefits arising are estimated to beequivalent to 14% additional global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth by 2030 - almost$US16 trillion. Asia’s GDP will rise by between 5.6% and 10.4%, depending on the region.
Positive social outcomes flow from economic growth and development through better
healthcare, more accessible, individual learning opportunities, more effective resource
allocation to avoid poverty and starvation including water conservation, among many.

5 // ASOCIO E-NEWSLETTER | 2020

Realising these benefits require existing and new technology companies in the ASOCIO region
to engage with and seize the opportunities presented by AI. To facilitate this, governments
must ensure they have a clear, national strategic framework for AI - covering both development
and adoption. Key elements of a strategy include; investing and supporting research anddevelopment (R&D); enabling the digital infrastructure; building human capacity for both AI
development and use, as well as preparing for labour market transformation; and cooperatinginternationally to facilitate trade and development.

Concurrent with national strategic planning and business development of AI systems, allstakeholders especially government and industry - must ensure trust and confidence, thekeystone of the networked digital age — is protected and kept front of mind. Systems must
incorporate “good practices:” they must have effective governance and clear accountabilities;
privacy must be maintained; data secured to preserve its integrity and confidentiality; andapplications tested and audited to ensure outcomes reflect design objectives without biases.
Common, regional and global frameworks are central to ensuring trust and confidence in AI.
Many nations and organisations have identified typical, now well-established elements of suchframeworks, highlighted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD) in five key principles around “good practice” AI:
1. Openness, transparency and explainability, ie, transparent and responsible disclosure topeople that they are dealing with AI, and what the AI system does;
2. Reliability and safety, ie, the AI system functions in a robust, secure and safe way inforeseeable use or misuse;
3. Privacy and security, ie, the AI system is designed and functions so as to respect the rule oflaw, human rights, democratic values and diversity;
4. Inclusiveness, ie, AI is developed and operates to benefit all people and the planet; and5. Accountability, ie, those developing, deploying or operating AI are held accountable for theirproper functioning.
ASOCIO urges all AI stakeholders — especially developers, those deploying AI, governments,
system users and, indeed, consumers — to understand, advocate for and accept AI
systems based on these principles. Adopting this approach will enable ASOCIO
region economies to participate fully in the large economic and social
opportunities enabled by AI with safety, security, trust and confidence.

6 // ASOCIO E-NEWSLETTER | 2020

+ Webinars
1st Webinar: Collaboration with FITIS – 5 May 2020

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE NEWNORMAL WAS A RESOUNDING SUCCESSFITIS / ASOCIO first ever Asia Pacific virtual collaboration held on Tuesday, 5th
May 2020 was a resounding success. It was attended by over 600 professionals
across the Asia Pacific region around 20 countries including but not limited to
ICT Industry and business leaders, CIO’s regulators, and other senior executives.
The virtual forum discussed on ICT opportunities deriving as Post Covid-19 response reciprocities
available in the Asia Pacific region. The virtual forum featured David Wong Chairman ASOCIO as
Keynote speaker together with Abbas Kamrudeen, Chairman of FITIS, Dr. Manchanayake, Vice
Chair ASOCIO and ICT industry leaders from 13 countries in the Asia Pacific region.
The other leading experts featured were, Wong Wai Meng, Chairman of SGTech from Singapore ,Rajesh Nambiar, Ex board member of NASSCOM from India, Reggie Wong, Vice Chairman ASOCIO
from Hong Kong, Masayuki Osuka, Corporate Advisor, CAC Holdings Corporation from Japan,
Brian Shen, Chairman CISA from Taiwan, Abdulla Kafi, Past Chairman ASOCIO from Bangladesh,
John Choi, Deputy Chairman ASOCIO from Korea, Shahzad Shahid, Chairman of P@SHA from
Pakistan, Bunrak Saraggananda, Honorary Chairman of ATCI from Thailand, Nguyen Thi Thu
Giang, General Secretary of VINASA from Vietnam and Phub Gyeltshen, Past President of BICTTA
from Bhutan.

7 // ASOCIO E-NEWSLETTER | 2020

2nd ASOCIO Webinar: Collaboration with Smart Cities Network (SCN) - 10 June 2020

Digital Roundtable-Transforming& Enabling Smart Cities of Tomorrow
This Digital Roundtable
aims to provide theopportunity for key
stakeholders fromthe national and city
governments andindustry leaders to gain
perspectives on how
leaders of smart cities
would put in place astrategy with execution
capabilities of theirstaff and ecosystem
stakeholders.

8 // ASOCIO E-NEWSLETTER | 2020

3rd webinar - Webinar: Collaboration with Global Victoria/MABC - 23 August 2020

$300 billion by 2025:
Southeast Asia’s internet economy

9 // ASOCIO E-NEWSLETTER | 2020

+ memorandum of understanding (mou)MOU Signing between asocioand Smart Cities Network (SCN)

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed on 1st August and will beeffective till 31 December 2022
Objectives:∙

Collaborate as partners to support the United Nation (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
in the Asian and Oceanian countries∙

With this partnership, both organizations have fulfilled one of the UN SDGs, which is SDG #17 –Partnership for the Goals∙

Members of ASOCIO will be invited to collaborate in one or any of the activities organized by SCN(collaboration projects to be scoped and mutually agreed in separate arrangements between
SCN and ASOCIO members).

10 // ASOCIO E-NEWSLETTER | 2020

+ EVENTS IN 2020 FROM MEMBER ECONOMIES
Updates and Upcoming Events from Member Economies

Singapore - SGTech
Report on Digital Economy
Movement restrictions and safe distancing measures implemented in Singapore to curb the spread of
COVID-19 created the unavoidable impetus for companies to turn to digital tools to continue to operate
as best as they could despite the disruption of being remote. It also revealed that some segments of theeconomy were less ready or able to adapt than others.
In June 2020, Singapore announced the formation of a Ministerial Committee for Digital Transformation, toaccelerate Singapore’s adoption of digital technology. The committee’s key focus is to work with companies
and the labour movement to create jobs in the info-communications and technology (ICT) sector and help
small and medium enterprises survive and thrive through the use of technology. Another area of focus
is to ensure all segments of the population benefit from the digitalisation push, starting with hawkers
and seniors. This committee will oversee the execution of policies, and coordinate the work of the manyagencies and groups involved.

Past & Future Events in 2020
Upcoming events
Date

Event

Register

13 August 2020

Go International - Entering China#4 (Trade)

https://www.sgtech.org.sg/web/
EventDetail?EventKey=INT130820

18 August 2020

Go International: ICT Opportunities
in the Philippines

https://www.sgtech.org.sg/web/
EventDetail?EventKey=INT1808201

21 August 2020

Go International: High-Growth
Potentials for Vietnam

https://www.sgtech.org.sg/web/
EventDetail?EventKey=INT2108201

27 August 2020

Go International - Entering China#5 (M&A)

https://www.sgtech.org.sg/web/
EventDetail?EventKey=INT2708201

22 September 2020

APEC CBPR Discussion and Sharing tbc
for Singapore and Japanesecompanies

11 // ASOCIO E-NEWSLETTER | 2020

Updates and Upcoming Events from Member Economies
Singapore - SGTech
SGTech Webinar Series
In late March, SGTech launched a webinar series to help our members
and other SMEs and startups by providing actionable insights tosurvive this challenging time. Up to the end of June, 19 webinars wereconducted, reaching close to 5,000 participants. The webinars are
ongoing.
The webinars share information in two tracks, firstly on business or
management, such as managing employees remotely, managing
liquidity; secondly, on technology-related topics such as e-commerce,collaboration tools, cybersecurity and data protection.
SGTech also created a “Solutions Toolbox”, corresponding to each
topic, to help companies identify solution bundles that they canconsider. In a typical solutions toolbox session, each solution provider
gives a focussed 5-min description of the problem their solution
solves, and how it does so.
Professional Conversion
Programmes

Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade & Industry and Ministry of Education, Mr
Chee Hong Tat (top row, centre) together with other panellists at the “Grow Digital, GoInternational” webinar on 22 June 2020.

Minister for Manpower and Second Minister
for Home Affairs, Mrs Josephine Teo(2nd row from bottom, 2nd from right)
joined a virtual focus group session withparticipants in the PCP for Digital Sales
Executive on 15 June 2020.

SGTechwasappointed
Programme
Managerforthree Professional Conversion
Programmes (PCPs) in thefirst half of 2020: Digital Sales
Executive, SAP Consultants
andSalesforce
Platform
Professionals. These PCPs
operate under the Place-andTrain model whereby PMETs
interested to switch to “tech lite”
roles are selected and hired byparticipating companies before
undergoing training.

12 // ASOCIO E-NEWSLETTER | 2020

Updates and Upcoming Events from Member Economies
Korea - The Federation of Korean Information Industries (FKII)The Korean New Deal
1. Digital New DealAs the transition to the digital economy accelerates
with the Corona 19, the drive to foster “digital countries+ non-face-to-face promising industries” will takeplace.
A. DNA Ecosystem Hardening
To enhance productivity in the Korean economy,
the company will spend 38.5 trillion won by 2025 tocreate 567,000 jobs. In order to achieve this goal,
the government is planning to establish a K-cyberquarantine system based on 5G and AI, as well as tobuild, open, and utilize data in areas close to people’s
lives.
B. Digital Transformation of Educational Infrastructure
To create an online and offline convergencelearning environment for elementary, middle andhigh schools, universities, and vocational training
institutions across the country, the government will
spend 1.3 trillion won on the project by 2025 to create
9,000 jobs. To achieve this goal, the government
will create digital-based education infrastructure
in all elementary, middle and high schools, andstrengthen online education at universities andvocational training institutes across the country.
C.	Fostering Non-face-to-face Projects
The government will spend 2.5 trillion won on the
project by 2025 to create 134,000 jobs. To that end,
the government will push to build smart medical
and care infrastructure, expand telework for small
and medium-sized companies, and support online
businesses for small businesses.
D. SOC Digitization
The company will invest 15.8 trillion won in total tocreate 193,000 jobs by 2025. To achieve this goal,
the government will establish digital management
systems for infrastructure in four major areas:transportation, digital, water resources, anddisaster response, digital innovation of space incities and industrial complexes, and smart logistics
systems.
2. Green New DealAs the importance of responding to climate change
and changing low-carbon society is highlighted in thewake of the Corona 19, it will be promoted in a direction
toward a carbon-neutral society such as “infrastructureand energy green conversion + innovation in green
industries.”
A. Green Transformation of Urban, Spatial, and Living
Infrastructure
The total project will invest 30.1 trillion won by 2025
to create 387,000 jobs. In order to achieve thisgoal, the government will push for zero energy for
public facilities, restoration of green ecosystems innational lands, oceans and cities, and establishmentof a clean and safe water management system.
B. Diffusion of low carbon and distributed energy
The government will invest 35.8 trillion won in total
project costs by 2025 to create 209,000 jobs. To
achieve this goal, the government will establish
an intelligent smart grid for energy management
such as smart power grids and underground wires,
establish a foundation for the spread of new andrenewable energy, support fair conversion, andexpand the supply of green mobility such as electricand hydrogen cars.
C.	Building an Innovative Ecosystem for Green Industries
The government will invest 7.6 trillion won in
total project costs by 2025 to create 63,000 jobs.
To achieve this goal, the government will foster
promising green companies, create low-carbon andgreen industrial complexes, and create a foundation
for green innovation such as R&D and finance toreduce greenhouse gas and cope with fine dust.
3. Strengthening Safety Net
This is due to the emergence of future changes in the
structure of the job market as well as the focus on
overcoming the short-term employment shock caused
by Corona19, which will be promoted in the direction of“strengthening the employment and social safety net +expanding human investment.”
A. Employment and Social Safety Net
The government will invest 24 trillion won in total
project costs by 2025 to create 159,000 jobs. To thisend, the government will push for the establishmentof an employment safety net, including the
expansion of employment insurance and industrial
insurance for the entire nation, strengthening theinclusive social safety net that lives well together,including basic living security and the reorganizationand introduction of corporal benefits, support forlife and job security in blind spots of employment
insurance, support for young people entering thejob market, and innovation in industrial safety andworking environment.
B.	Human Investment
The government will create 180,000 jobs by investing
4.4 trillion won in total business expenses by 2025
to expand inclusive human investment, including
training of manpower, job support, and narrowing thedigital gap to move to new jobs. In order to achieve
this goal, the government is planning to reform thesystem into a future-adaptive vocational training
system and strengthen the digital accessibility offarming, fishing and vulnerable groups.

13 // ASOCIO E-NEWSLETTER | 2020

Updates and Upcoming Events from Member Economies
Korea - The Federation of Korean Information Industries (FKII)
Past and Future Events in 2020
January 22
2020 Digital Policy Forum
1. Title: Strategies and Challenges to Become aPowerful AI Country
2. Contents:
A. AI National Strategy (Released by Ministry of Scienceand ICT)
B. Presentation and Discussion: AI/data current status
and challenges, AI-based business possibilities andchallenges, AI powerhouse priorities
February 18 & March 24
Board of Directors Meeting & 38th General Assembly
1. Appointment of executives.
A. Chairman: Jhinsup ‘JJ’ Jhung, Chairman of Open BaseGroup (newly appointed)
B. Vice Chairman: Ki-hong Song, President of IBM Korea,
and Lee Kwang-sung, Advisor to Doosan, (newly
appointed)
C. Director. Hyuk-sang Kwon, President of KCC
Information and Communication (new), and Byung-jinHong, President of Lemon Healthcare
2. Relocation of the main office (4/4)
Mapo-gu, Seoul  Gangnam-gu, Seoul

September 16
2020 Innovation Solution Day

May 15, July 8 & September 9
Digital Leadership Forum: Morning Seminar 1st & 2nd

Presentation and showcases of solutions that promote
digital and non-face-to-face business innovation andproductivity improvement according to COVID-19

Conducting expert lectures on topics (social change,
humanities, and future prospects) to help CEOs andexecutives of ICT.SW companies
No.

Date

Topics and Instructors

1st

5/15(Fri)‘Phonosapiens’ and Pandemics
Shock Era, How to Survive(Professor Choi Jae-Bung of
Sungkyunkwan University)

2nd

7/8(Wed)Tools to Read the Future,
Demography(Professor Cho Young-tae of the
Graduate School of Public Health atSeoul National University)

3rd

9/9(Wed)To be Updated*Attendees: 200 employees of the user companies in ICT
industry (free of charge)
Early October
2020 Korea-Japan IT Webinar
Seminar in which both Korea and Japan share informationon the latest issues and technologies in the ICT industry
every year
1. Contents: Corona 19 Response and Cooperation Planbetween Korea and Japan
2. Method: Online (Webinar)*Co-organized by FKII (Federation of Korean
Information Industries) and JISA (Japan Information
Services Industry Association)

14 // ASOCIO E-NEWSLETTER | 2020

Updates and Upcoming Events from Member Economies
Taiwan - The Information Services Industry Association (CISA)AI Solutions & Cybersecurity - Online International Press Release Conference - 4 September 2020
The Information Service Industry Association (CISA) and Taiwan External Trade Development Council(TAITRA) cohosted on Friday an international press release conference, showcasing Taiwan’s breakthroughsolutions in AI and Cyber Security, supported by the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) over the Digital
Application Forum Week.
The purpose was to build a platform for international marketing and business development for Taiwan
solutions providers. The conference successfully attracted more than 160 international buyers andpress from 16 respective countries such as the U.S., Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh, Myanmar,
Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Germany, Italy, Brazil, India, Indonesia and Egypt for registration resulting
in 200 views online.
With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, digitization, interconnection and intelligence are trending
in a major way for global enterprises. AI solutions have gradually been applied in fields such as smart
manufacturing, customer service and retail, showing the importance of data integration and cyber security.
At this conference, six top Taiwanese brands — iEi, ticc, ZYXEL, THE SYSCOM GROUP, Bankpro and LaFresh—showcased their newest products and share the latest trends in AI solutions and Cyber Security.

Top Taiwanese brands showcased their newest products and shared the latest trends in AI solutions and Cyber Security in
an international press conference organized on Sept. 4, 2020. (Courtesy of TAITRA)

15 // ASOCIO E-NEWSLETTER | 2020

Updates and Upcoming Events from Member Economies+ upcoming event
ASOCIO Smart Cities Summit 202018 - 20 November 2020 @ TechFest LIVE 2020, Penang, Malaysia

ASOCIO Smart City is the leading event for cities, theplace where the future of cities is discussed and themost inspiring ideas for exploring our urban future arebrought to stage.
ASOCIO Smart City exists in order to empower cities and collective
urban innovation across the globe through promoting socila
innovation, establishing partnerships and identifying business
oppuertunities. The events is dedicated to creating a better future
for cities and theiar citizens.

16 // ASOCIO E-NEWSLETTER | 2020

Updates and Upcoming Events from Member Economies+ upcoming event
VIETNAM DX DAY 2020

ASOCIO MULTILATERAL TRADE VISITONLINEVIETNAM DX DAY 2020HÀ NỘI | 11
AUGUST 2020
9 - –1012December
2020

BUSINESS
MATCHING 1:1

Consulting – Connecting suppliers
and applying companies in Digital
Transformation

OFFLINEONLINE

 Livestream: CONFERENCE

Opportunity to present, show
and introduce Digital
Transformation products andsolutions to potential
customers(D: 3mx2 m)

upcoming event
ONLINE CONFERECEONLINE SPEECH
On the confernces

ONLINE EXHIBITION

ONLINE BIZ MATCHINGONLINE TOURSEXHIBITION

ONLINE EXHIBITION

Booth #1

Booth #2

Booth #3

Booth #4

Booth #5

Booth #6

Booth …

Booth …

05 MINUTES VIDEO: Exhibit Companies, Solutions, Services

EVENT HIGHLIGHTSFREE

of Charge

OPENING CEREMONY & EXHIBITION
13:30-17:15 | 11/08

4.000$/Speech200$/Booth300$/Company

500$/

Tours/company

Conference: DX on
FINANCE & BANKING

Conference: DX on
HEALTHCARE

Conference: DX on
SMEs

Conference: DX on
AGRICULTURE

Conference: DX on
LOGISTICS

Conference: DX on
MANUFACTURING

09:00-12:00 | 12/08

FULL PACKAGE: 4.000 USD

09:00-12:00 | 12/08

13:30-17:00 | 12/08

 Details agenda on
 LIVESTREAM on

09:00-12:00 | 12/08

13:30-17:00 –|12/08

13:30-17:00 | 12/08
official Website

www.dxday.vinsasa.org.vn

CONTACT:
Ms. Anh Linhlinhna@vinasa.org.vn | www.dxday.vinasa.org. vn | T: +84 24 3577 2336 | H/p: +84 9 42 62 88 69

17 // ASOCIO E-NEWSLETTER | 2020

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