Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : SRI PERDANA
Tarikh/Date : 04/07/87
Tajuk/Title : THE DINNER HOSTED IN HONOUR OF HIS
EXCELLENCY U MAUNG MAUNG KHA, PRIME
MINISTER OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC
OF THE UNION OF BURMA
Your Excellency U Maung Maung Kha,
Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic
of the Union of Burma;
Your Excellencies;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to welcome Your Excellency
and members of your delegation to Malaysia. Indeed, Your
Excellency is no stranger to Malaysia, having visited us
privately once before in 1961. Your Excellency's visit is
therefore not only timely but is of great significance to
Malaysia as this is the first high level visit from Burma
after a lapse of almost thirteen years. We are greatly
honoured by your visit as we regard it as a manifestation of
your Government's desire to further strengthen the long
established relations and to expand the scope of cooperation
between our two countries. Let me take this opportunity to
reiterate our readiness to reciprocate this desire in full
measure. Burma is a close and special friend. Malaysia
always has close and abading interest in Burma and the
Burmese people. Many years and events have we both
experienced, our respective countries undergoing various
challenges. Yet we have lost neither our entity nor
resilience.
Your Excellency,
2. I am happy to note that there is fairly significant
economic and technical cooperation between our two
countries. In this respect, Malaysia highly values the
services of Burmese doctors and specialists who have served
and are still serving in Malaysia through the generous
understanding of the Burmese government. For our part,
Malaysian agencies are continuing to extend training
facilities to Burmese officials in various fields. Let me
assure Your Excellency that the Malaysian government is
willing to consider whatever assistance that is within our
means that the Burmese Government may require in fields
where Malaysia has gained some expertise.
3. It is also gratifying to note that there are increasing
people to people contacts which I am sure will contribute
towards closer bilateral relations. Both our countries have
also in the past exchanged cultural troupes and sport teams.
It is my earnest desire that we should not only renew the
socio-cultural contacts but also intensify them.
4. Certainly, Your Excellency would agree with me that our
two countries have mutually benefitted from our close
collaboration. This state of affairs is possible because of
goodwill and understanding between our leaders. The time
has now come for us to endeavour to build on the existing
goodwill and understanding to expand further the scope of
cooperation. In this respect, I am convinced there are
great prospects ahead. Our economic relations, though
insignificant, could be further expanded. It is therefore
necessary for us to find ways and means of cooperating more
effectively in promoting trade and economic interaction.
The intensification of exchange of trade delegations and the
holding of exhibitions would contribute towards greater
awareness of each others products and technology as well as
capability. I am convinced that given the necessary
governmental encouragement, both the national enterprises in
Burma and the private sector in Malaysia could seize the
opportunities available in the fields of trade and joint
venture investment.
Your Excellency,
5. Malaysia and Burma are relatively small countries which
firmly believe in establishing friendly relations and
cooperation among countries in the region. The Malaysian
Government's support for ASEAN as a viable economic
organization is a testimony of Malaysia's commitment towards
regional cooperation.
6. Countries in the South East Asian region like anywhere
else require an environment of peace and stability in order
to fully devote their efforts to socio-economic development.
However the prevailing situation in Kampuchea poses a threat
to peace and stability in our region and represents a
retrogressive step in our efforts towards peaceful
collaboration among all states in the region irrespective of
political ideology. It is a matter of serious concern to
us that the people in Kampuchea are still experiencing
foreign military occupation and domination. They continue to
be denied their right of self determination.
Your Excellency,
7. Today, all developing countries alike, are confronted
with an economic predicament. All of us have to cope with
the problems of high interest rates, high level foreign
debts, the continuing trend towards protectionism and
falling prices of primary commodities. All these cannot be
redressed in isolation, nor could it await a global
consensus for the creation of a new international economic
order. The lack of commitment on the part of the developed
countries to see these problems in their proper perspective
have contributed towards the prolongation of the economic
issues. It is therefore imperative that the developing
countries themselves should take the initiative to promote
greater cooperation among ourselves. In this regard Malaysia
has not only strived to generate the necessary momentum
for a greater South-South Cooperation through the formation
of a South-South Commission but through our limited
resources has extended technical and other assistance to
other developing countries through the Malaysian Technical
Cooperation Programme.
8. Another issue that concerns us all, relates to the
problem of drug abuse and illicit trafficking. The
magnitude of this problem has caused serious global concern
since it has spread over a wide geographical area with
increasingly devastating effects on individuals as well as
societies. In this respect, it is gratifying that a fresh
beginning has been made in the war against illicit drugs.
The recently concluded International Conference on Drug
Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (ICDAIT), was able to adopt a
comprehensive programme action to combat the drug abuse and
trafficking. I am convinced that the drug abuse problem can
be eradicated if all nations show the necessary political
will. Probably towards this end, both our countries should
lead the way in implementing the ICDAIT declaration. In
this connection, I wish to take this opportunity to thank
the Government of Burma not only for supporting my
candidature but also for the constructive contribution of
the Burmese delegation during the Conference.
Your Excellency,
9. I am happy that our discussions this afternoon on the
subjects of mutual interest have been most useful. I have
no doubt that Your Excellency's visit will contribute to the
strengthening of bilateral relations through greater mutual
understanding and expanded cooperation. Lastly, I also hope
that your stay in Malaysia will be memorable.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
- May I invite you to join me in a toast to the
good-health and well-being of His Excellency The
President of the Socialist Republic of the Union of
Burma, U San Yu;
- to the good health and well-being of His Excellency The
Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of the Union
of Burma, U Maung Maung Kha;
- and to the lasting friendship between the peoples of
Malaysia and Burma.
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