RVA and Miri Diocese Sign MoU to Strengthen Media Mission, Explore Future Malay Language Service

Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) and the Diocese of Miri in Malaysian Borneo signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on October 26 to strengthen Catholic broadcasting and digital evangelization, with a possible future Bahasa Malaysia service within RVA’s multilingual network.

Bishop Richard Ng of Miri visited RVA’s headquarters in Quezon City, Metro Manila, and met with the management and staff at St. John Paul II Conference Hall for the signing ceremony.

RVA General Manager Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD, welcomed the bishop, while Program Director Fr. John Mi Shen introduced him and outlined the proposed partnership.

In his address, Bishop Ng said the Diocese of Miri, which serves a largely rural population in northern Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, launched its internet radio station, Radio Katolik Miri (RKM), in 2025 to reach communities through digital platforms.

However, the diocese needs additional personnel, training, and content to sustain and develop the initiative. “We are still hanging and looking for people to help us train and also share content,” Bishop Ng said, expressing hope that cooperation with RVA would strengthen the station’s programming and outreach.

He highlighted the potential of Bahasa Malaysia programming, noting that the language serves as a common means of communication among the diocese’s Indigenous communities. He said collaboration could help develop local content and make it available to wider audiences in Malaysia and across Asia.

Fr. Francis Han, coordinator of RVA’s Mandarin service, presented the service’s programs and outreach, including its reach among Mandarin-speaking audiences in Malaysia. He expressed hope that cooperation with the Miri diocese would further expand its audience and strengthen Catholic communication in the region.

Under the agreement, RVA will make selected English and Mandarin programs available to Radio Katolik Miri, including daily reflections, Bible-related programs, Catholic news, papal messages, and faith-formation content. The parties will also explore content production, translation, technical assistance, and training.

The MoU provides for exploring the development and exchange of Malay-language programs, including the possibility of establishing a Bahasa Malaysia service within RVA’s network in the future.

With its network of 23 language services spanning Asia, Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) serves as the “Voice of Asian Christianity,” bringing the experiences, concerns and witness of local Churches to audiences across the region through multilingual radio and digital platforms. In recent years, RVA has placed greater emphasis on building networks with dioceses and local Church communities across Asia to share information and stories from the grassroots.

Through these partnerships, RVA seeks to highlight missionary initiatives, the lived faith of local communities and Church events that receive little or no attention from mainstream media. The collaboration with the Diocese of Miri reflects this approach, combining content sharing and capacity-building to help local Catholic media reach wider audiences.

Fr. Fiel signed on behalf of RVA, while Bishop Ng signed for the Diocese of Miri. Fr. John Mi Shen witnessed the agreement.

The MoU takes effect upon the final signature and remains valid for an initial three years, subject to review and the terms agreed by both parties.

The agreement aims to strengthen cooperation in Catholic media and help local Church voices reach communities in Malaysia and beyond through radio and digital platforms.