Oleh/By  	:	DATO SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue	:	SERI PERDANA, PUTRAJAYA
Tarikh/Date	:	24-04-2001
Tajuk/Title 	:	THE OFFICIAL DINNER IN HONOUR OF 
			HIS EXCELLENCY  DR. THAKSIN 
			SHINAWATRA PRIME MINISTER 
			OF THAILAND
Versi 		:	ENGLISH
Penyampai	:  	PM
  
        
        It   gives  me  great  pleasure  to  welcome   Your
   Excellency  and distinguished members of your delegation
   to  Malaysia. Your visit is indeed special as it is your
   first  to Malaysia and your first visit abroad  in  your
   new  capacity as the Prime Minister of Thailand.  May  I
   once  again  offer  my sincere congratulations  on  your
   unprecedented  election victory.  I  am  confident  that
   your  visit  will  consolidate and enhance  the  already
   close   and   special   relations   between   our    two
   neighbouring countries.  We in Malaysia are  very  happy
   indeed to welcome you.
   
   2.    Your  visit is indeed timely as we are both  faced
   with  the political and economic uncertainties affecting
   the  region. This afternoon, we had a thorough  exchange
   of  views on the subjects and policy options that  could
   be  pursued  to resuscitate our economic resilience  and
   set  it  on  a firm and sustainable recovery  path.  The
   economic  slowdown in the U.S. and Japan is expected  to
   impact  adversely  on  our growth  and  exports.  It  is
   therefore  a  matter of growing urgency to  explore  new
   measures   to   accelerate  our  bilateral  cooperation,
   particularly   in  the  area  of  finance,   trade   and
   investment,  to  ensure  we are  sufficiently  protected
   from the full impact of this economic slowdown.
   
   3.    The relationship between our two countries remains
   warm  and trouble-free.  Problems do arise from time  to
   time  but we have managed to solve them amicably through
   our  own ingenuity and good-will as good and responsible
   neighbours,  fully  realising  that  our  interests  are
   often  intertwined.   With  strict  adherence  to   good
   neighbourliness, our ties have remained close  and  will
   no  doubt  move even closer.  In the past,  threats  and
   challenges  have  been successfully neutralised  by  the
   desire   of   both   sides  to  work   together.    This
   willingness to share and cooperate had made it  possible
   to  reverse  what could have developed into a  potential
   source  of irritations and convert them into cooperation
   for  the  long-term benefits to our  peoples.   In  this
   regard, it would be an added feather in our cap,  if  we
   could facilitate and expedite the implementation of  the
   Trans-Thai  Malaysia Gas Pipeline Project.  Landing  the
   gas  in  South Thailand will provide that less-developed
   region  and people with an increase in job opportunities
   and  businesses,  particularly small  and  medium  scale
   businesses for the small people.
   
   4.     We   have  lately  been  facing  difficult  times
   together  due largely to interference in the  governance
   and  management of our countries by so-called  concerned
   foreigners.   We  have dealt with  the  assault  on  our
   sovereignty in different ways.  As neighbours we  should
   exchange  information  and views on  the  management  of
   economic  and  financial turmoil so we  can  learn  from
   each   other  and  ensure  better  recovery  next  time.
   Despite  all these bilateral trade recorded a  28.3  per
   cent  increase to reach 6.3 billion U.S. Dollars in  the
   year  2000  compared to 1999 and today Thailand  is  the
   sixth  largest  trading  partner  of  Malaysia.   It  is
   equally  heartening to observe that  over  50  companies
   with  Malaysian  interest  are  currently  operating  in
   Thailand,   embracing   a   wide   range   of   sectors.
   Similarly,  Thai investment in Malaysia is also  showing
   encouraging growth.
   
   5.    Although we had made impressive strides  to  shore
   up   bilateral  trade  and  investment,  more   concrete
   measures  would  have  to  be  done  to  tap  the   full
   potential  of  the business opportunities  available  in
   our   respective  country.   In  this   regard,   I   am
   encouraged   by   the  convening  of  the  Malaysia-Thai
   business  opportunity  seminar  in  Bangkok  early  this
   year,  which  was attended, I was told, by approximately
   600  Malaysian and Thai businessmen.  This is a positive
   step  to strengthen private sector collaboration between
   our  two  countries.  I remain hopeful we can achieve  a
   more constructive and mutually rewarding cooperation  if
   our  two  private sectors were to focus on the  numerous
   opportunities available in our countries.   I  hope  our
   private  sector collaboration would develop  fully  into
   an  ASEAN-wide  phenomenon to enhance intra-ASEAN  trade
   and  reap  maximum benefits from AFTA.  I am  encouraged
   to   see   so  many  businessmen  in  Your  Excellency's
   delegation   and   I   hope  they   will   explore   the
   opportunities I have mentioned.  Together we can  lessen
   the impact of economic downturns elsewhere.
   
   6.    As neighbours sharing a common border, the need to
   understand one another becomes more real and urgent.   I
   recognise  that  the Malaysia-Thai Association  and  its
   counterpart  in  Bangkok  have contributed  meaningfully
   towards   this  objective.   But  to  complement   their
   efforts,  we  should  now initiate  and  encourage  more
   exchanges  of visits and direct interaction between  our
   Government  officials and our Ministers.  We must  fully
   back the efforts of the private sectors.
   
   7.    ASEAN is an important sector of Malaysia's foreign
   affairs  and  receives  the highest  priority.   We  are
   committed  to  the  pursuit of  our  common  objectives,
   including  to  the  ASEAN regional economic  cooperation
   programmes.   I  have included this important  point  in
   order  to  reassure Your Excellency that  Malaysia  will
   not  renege on its commitment to liberalise and open our
   markets  as required under AFTA.  Yes, it is  true  that
   we  have  sought to defer temporarily the  inclusion  of
   CBU  and  CKD  automotive parts in the AFTA scheme,  but
   the  deferment is merely to allow our domestic  national
   car  industry,  adversely affected by the 1997  regional
   financial  and  economic crisis, to undertake  necessary
   restructuring  exercise  to remain  competitive  in  the
   post-AFTA  ASEAN.  Many non-ASEAN countries  are  hoping
   to  enter the markets of our countries through the  back
   door.   We  must  not allow this to happen  as  it  will
   lessen  the  benefits  of AFTA  to  us.   AFTA  actually
   provides   us  with  the  opportunity  to  enlarge   our
   industrial  and commercial capacities and  we  must  not
   let the opportunities be wasted and lost to us.
   
   9.    We  had  a  meaningful discussion  this  afternoon
   covering  a broad spectrum of issues involving  our  two
   countries and the region.  This is useful in helping  us
   to  formulate  appropriate  responses  and  measures  to
   address these outstanding problems.  I do hope that  you
   found your visit to Malaysia, despite its brevity,  both
   fulfilling  and  rewarding.  I look forward  to  meeting
   you  again  and  collaborating with  you  on  issues  of
   mutual interests.


   Sumber : Pejabat Perdana Menteri

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