ASOCIO Media Release
For immediate release
Jan 08, 2010
ASOCIO to focus on green ICT, trade promotion
January 08, 2010 ˇV The Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organization (ASOCIO) is starting the new decade with green in mind. Fresh from its 27th General Assembly held in Melbourne, Australia last month, the influential regional Information Technology (IT) grouping has incorporated environmental preservation as one of its top priorities.
Themed Preserving Earth in the IT World, ASOCIOˇ¦s Green IT agenda will define initiatives geared towards promoting environment-friendly practices among its members which represents 21 countries across the region.
ˇ§We are starting a new decade. In every new beginning, we analyze the past and present to identify issues that need to be solved in order to realise a better future,ˇ¨ says newly-appointed ASOCIO president Looi Kien Leong.
He adds that broad-based world's sentiments towards environmental issues have been highlighted at the recent Copenhagen Summit and ASOCIO would also like to play its part by advocating Green IT in the Asia Oceania region.
ˇ§Among ASOCIO member countries, Australia and Japan are the most advanced in terms of Green ICT initiatives. We can certainly learn from them,ˇ¨ says Looi, who is also an adviser to the National ICT Association of Malaysia (PIKOM) as well as Global Trade Committee Chair of the World IT and Services Alliance (WITSA).
ASOCIOˇ¦s Green IT initiatives essentially encompass two general areas ˇV efforts to build a sustainable, energy- and cost- effective environment within a corporation and use of IT as a strategic tool to build solutions for external environment.
The broad outline of the initiatives was unveiled at last monthˇ¦s Asia Pacific Digital Innovation Summit (APDIS 2009) in Melbourne. Pertinent issues and possible approaches for implementation were also discussed during a panel session entitled Sustainability & Green IT. The panel comprised speakers from ASOCIO member countries of Malaysia, Australia and Japan.
Towards this end, ASOCIO will be setting up Secretariat offices in various cities to support the envisioned increased activities, particularly those related to the green IT initiatives, across the region. These include offices in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Taipei, Dhaka and Seoul. Tokyo will remain as the organizationˇ¦s Headquarters.
More details on ASOCIOˇ¦s Green IT initiatives are expected to be announced in a near future.
End of Release
Contact person:
Lucas Lim, Secretary-General
lucas@jisa.or.jp
ABOUT ASOCIO
ASOCIO has 21 members representing Australia, Bangladesh,Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. It has seven guest members from USA, UK, Canada, Spain, France, Russia and Kenya. In turn, ASOCIO members associations, through their own members, represent more than 10,000 IT companies in the region.
Looi Kien Leong Bio
Having industry experience that spans almost 30 years, Looi is no stranger to the international ICT circle. He has also been an active leader, advocate, and supporter of the ICT industry at the local, regional and global levels through his active participations in various industry groupings. He has been active in ASOCIO for past decade, having served as VP and Director in previous ASOCIO Boards.
Looi is a former chairman of PIKOM and currently serves as Adviser and heads PIKOMˇ¦s International Affairs. He also chairs the Global Trade Committee of the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA).
He also has the experience of building links in the region, having founded and grew a large ICT company with interests across the region.
