Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	PARLIAMENT HOUSE, KUALA LUMPUR 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	06/01/87 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	THE COMMONWEALTH SPEAKERS AND 
			PRESIDING OFFICERS STANDING 
			COMMITTEE MEETING 




 Mr. Chairman;
The Honourable The Presidents of the Senate;
Honourable Speakers and Deputy Speakers;
Honourable Ministers;
Your Excellencies;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
    It gives me great pleasure to welcome the Presidents of
the  Senate,  Speakers,  Deputy Speakers, Presiding Officers
and other officials to Malaysia.  I am honoured to be called
upon to address this gathering and to  declare  the  meeting
open.  We are happy that Kuala Lumpur has been chosen as the
venue for this meeting and it is hoped that it will not only
be  successful  but  it will also be an enjoyable experience
for you.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
2.   As I have stated on various occasions, the Commonwealth
must strive to achieve more tangible and meaningful  results
for all its members.  While it is true that member countries
have benefitted from programmes such  as  the  Colombo Plan,
the Commonwealth
Scholarship  and  Fellowship  Plan and the Commonwealth Fund
for Technical Co-operation, the changed world scenario today
demands that the Commonwealth adjusts  itself  to  this  new
environment.     Inability  to  do  so  may  result  in  the
Commonwealth   losing   more   of   its   credibility    and
effectiveness  as  an  organisation  set  up  with noble and
virtuous objectives.
3.   The world we live in today and the problems we face are
both complex and numerous.    The  concept  of  justice  and
fairplay,  as  expounded  by  early  thinkers,  have changed
considerably and taken new dimensions as new and more  brash
forces  make  their views felt.  The concept and practice of
free trade, as we  the  developing  countries  are  made  to
understand,  have  been  eroded, principally by its original
advocates.  Generally what was insisted upon by the rich and
powerful as the  'norms'  for  international  behaviour  and
relations  and  adhered to by small and weak countries, have
constantly been violated by the strong as soon as  the  weak
learns  to benefit from these 'norms'.  The economies of the
developing countries are  not  only  at  the  mercy  of  the
industrialised  giants  but  these  economies  have now been
almost destroyed by the rich nations.  More, these  powerful
nations  have  exported  their  vices  which  undermines the
efforts of the poor to better themselves.
4.   All these actions by the rich  nations  have  made  the
developing   countries   quite   disillusioned   and  almost
helpless.  Their attempts to industrialise and export  their
manufactured   goods   are   obstructed   by  the  walls  of
protectionism -- put up by the industrialised countries  not
only  to  protect their domestic industries but also to deny
the  developing  countries  the  right  to  compete  in  the
international  consumer markets.   New rules and regulations
are imposed by  the  rich  nations  from  time  to  time  to
frustrate  the  attempts of developing nations to gain entry
into the markets of the developed countries.    Yet  at  the
same   time   the  rich  and  the  powerful  subsidised  the
production of their primary products which are  then  dumped
in  the  developing  countries,  thus  displacing  competing
primary products from developing countries.      One  cannot
help  but  conclude  that  the  industrialised countries are
deliberately  denying  the  developing   nations   equitable
participation  in  the world's trade.   The Commonwealth may
symbolize the end of  political  imperialism  but  there  is
reason  to  believe  that  the  old imperialist nations have
found a substitute in economic imperialism.
5.   There is no doubt that much of the  economic  ills  and
problems  of  the world today are man-made and the result of
selfishness.  Consequently the solution  to  these  problems
requires  human  willingness  and sincerity, particularly on
the part of the developed nations.    These economic  powers
must  realise that as developing countries prosper they will
become better markets for the manufactured products  of  the
developed countries.  There is no way whereby the developing
countries,  even if they industrialise, are going to produce
all the manufactured goods they need.  The Japanese, or even
the Koreans and Taiwanese phenomena are unique.   Even  they
have  to  buy  certain  products  from  the  older developed
nations.  The other developing countries are not  likely  to
reach   their   levels.      Hysterical   terms  like  Newly
Industrialising Countries or NICs  should  never  have  been
coined for they create fears which are not justified.
6.   The  question  that  comes to mind is what role can the
Commonwealth play.  Certainly the Commonwealth should not be
just a comfortable old boys club.  The founder members  must
exhibit  their belief in it's raison d'etre by not forsaking
the Commonwealth whenever  it  becomes  embarrassing  or  it
obstructs  their  economic interest.   If they do this, they
cannot really expect the newer members to go on  subscribing
to  the  ideals  and  spirit of the Commonwealth.  It is the
disillusionment caused by the actions of senior Commonwealth
members that have prompted  Malaysia  to  institute  a  very
careful  study of the Commonwealth and its membership in the
organisation.
7.   From where we  are,  we  see  the  Commonwealth  having
everything  except wealth that is common to all its members.
The wealth is in fact confined to a very few of us.  We need
not go into history and  recriminate.    But  is  there  any
reason  why we cannot help those of us who are in dire need?
Should  we  ignore  their  cries  for  help  simply  because
economic  considerations  demand  that we help the oppressor
against the oppressed?  Should we forsake  them  because  we
have found new friends and formed new associations?
8.   One  of  the  oddities  of the Commonwealth is that the
members are expected to have a similar democratic system  of
Government modelled after those of the original Commonwealth
countries.     The  expectation  is  odd  because  prior  to
independence   these   countries   had   never   experienced
democracy.   They were ruled by bureaucrats who never had to
obtain a mandate from the people.  The system was completely
authoritarian.   Yet at the stroke  of  midnight  these  new
members   are   expected   not   only   to   take  over  the
responsibilities  of  Government  but  to  practice  a  very
specific  type  of  democracy developed in alien and distant
lands where the situation is as different as black  is  from
white.
9.   The  most  minute  deviation  from this democracy would
draw the wrath of the self-appointed guardians  from  across
the  seas.  The hounds will be let loose.  Sundry rebels and
charlatans will be listened to avidly as  they  condemn  the
prevailing  Governments.    True, some tales of woe are real
and need sympathetic hearing.  But experience  should  teach
us  that  new  Governments which had successfully overthrown
old  despots  are  not   necessarily   better   than   their
predecessors.
10.  But   what   is   happening   in  these  self-righteous
countries?   While  they  condemn  discrimination  in  other
countries,   they   themselves  practice  the  most  blatant
discrimination.  They demand rights for minorities and races
in other countries, which they are not prepared to  give  to
similar  minorities  in  their  own.   And they continuously
instigate and encourage protest and disorder which they  are
not prepared to tolerate in their own countries.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
11.  If   the   Commonwealth   is   to  survive  and  remain
meaningful, there must be a radical change in  the  attitude
of  some  of  the members.   Alternatively we should declare
that it is a social club of English speaking ex-colonies.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
12.  In September this year, Malaysia will play host for the
third time to  the  Commonwealth  Parliamentary  Association
(CPA)  conference.    It should not be taken as a measure of
our commitment to the Commonwealth concept.  We maintain  an
open  mind  while  we do our assessment of the Commonwealth.
Nevertheless, we pray and hope that  we  will  be  convinced
that  the  Commonwealth  amounts to something -- that wealth
should indeed be shared and common.  We are not asking for a
redistribution of the spoils.   But we do ask  that  no  one
take   unjustified  negative  steps  which  will  impoverish
further the already poor.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
13.  You have a heavy schedule ahead of you.   Nevertheless,
I  hope  you will also find some time away from your meeting
room to see a little of Kuala Lumpur, if not of Malaysia.
14.  With these words I now have much pleasure in  declaring
open   this  meeting  and  wish  you  all  success  in  your
deliberations.