Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	KUALA LUMPUR RAILWAY STATION 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	19/09/93 
Tajuk/Title  	:	LAUNCHING OF THE EASTERN & 
			ORIENTAL EXPRESS 



It  is  a  pleasure for me to officiate the launching of the
Eastern & Oriental Express.   I  see  this  venture  as  the
quintessence  of  a  number of aspects of life that are most
important to us all.
2.   Firstly, across the world, trains have always  been  an
efficient  and economic means of transport. Although in some
countries they have been allowed to decay, in Malaysia,  the
railway  system  has  been  maintained  and is making a very
strong come back and contribution to  national  development.
We  believe that it will play an increasingly important role
in our industrialisation and growth towards the  Year  2020.
We  are  encouraging KTM both to modernise and even to build
new lines that will  help  open  up  the  country.  We  have
invested   hundreds  of  millions  of  ringgit  recently  in
upgrading our railways. The Eastern & Oriental Express is of
course a very special and beautiful train.   It  complements
our  modernisation  programme  and  represents  all the most
excellent qualities of rail transport at its very  best  and
most romantic.
3.     This  train  has  been  described  as  a luxury hotel
on  wheels  and  fits  in  well with up-market tourism.   In
Malaysia, we take our tourism very seriously but we take our
country even more seriously. We have  been  blessed  with  a
beautiful country with mountains, lakes and pristine islands
populated  by friendly people living together in harmony. We
intend to conserve  these  natural  assets  while  promoting
tourism.    We  believe  that these natural assets should be
enjoyed by as many people as possible.  It is therefore  our
intention to preserve our natural assets at all cost.
4.     During Visit Malaysia Year 1990 we doubled the number
of  people  visiting  the  country.    Next  year  has  been
designated  the  Visit  Malaysia Year 1994. It is hoped that
the Eastern & Oriental Express  will  help  to  double  once
again the number of people visiting Malaysia.
5.      Apart from this, a long list of events and festivals
have been planned.    Some  of  these  are  by  the  Federal
Government  and some by the 13 state governments.  But there
are also the ethnic and religious  celebrations  which  will
depict  the  different  ways of life and customs of the many
ethnic groups which make up the Malaysian people.   Truly  a
visit  to  this  country during the Visit Malaysia Year 1994
will be very interesting and worthwhile.  Tourists using the
Eastern & Oriental Express will be able to enjoy  more  than
just  a  luxurious train journey.   They will be able to see
the festivities during Visit Malaysia Year '94.
6.   This train represents the collaborative efforts between
many people.  Its route stretches  from  Singapore,  through
Malaysia,   and   into  Thailand;  symbolising  a  bold  and
imaginative statement of Asean cooperation, transcending not
only political but also cultural, economic  and  ideological
boundaries  and bringing together the peoples of three South
East Asian nations.  With this project it is hoped that more
tourists will be encouraged to travel to  South  East  Asia,
thus  complementing  and  possibly  increasing passenger air
traffic into our respective countries.  This is the kind  of
value-added    project    that   the   Government   welcomes
whole-heartedly.  It is totally in keeping with  the  policy
of  letting  the  private  sector play the major role in the
economy, while the Government concentrates on administration
and policy making.
7.    I would like also to congratulate the foreign partners
for their confidence in our policies and their  appreciation
of  our  potential as an international economic and cultural
showcase.  To  the  local  partners  their  innovative   and
pioneering spirit is truly commendable.
8.   I trust this train will not only enrich your perception
of  what  the real heart of South East Asia is like but that
you will also enrich the lives of those with whom  you  come
in contact in your travels.
9.   I now have much pleasure in launching the inaugural run
of the Eastern & Oriental Express.