Oleh/By  	:	DATO' SERI DR.MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue	:	BALI, INDONESIA
Tarikh/Date	:	07/10/2003
Tajuk/Title 	:	RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT MEGAWATI'S 
			FAREWELL REMARKS
Versi 		:	ENGLISH
Penyampai	:  	PM   
	    


        Thank  you for your generous words and the  gift.
   It is very kind and thoughtful of you.
   
   2.    To be honoured by my fellow leaders in ASEAN  is
   indeed something special.  As you are all aware,  this
   will  be  my  last participation at the ASEAN  Summit.
   The  time has come for me to leave, after 22 years  in
   office.   I  am  grateful  to  all  of  you  for  your
   support, assistance, and above all friendship.
   
   3.    I  have had the privilege of attending  most  of
   the  ASEAN  Summits.  During these years, I have  seen
   many  changes  take  place  in  ASEAN.   Today,  ASEAN
   encompasses  the whole of South East Asia  and  it  is
   one  of  the  most successful regional  organisations.
   Though  in the early years, ASEAN was written  off  as
   an  irrelevant  organisation, we have proved  that  we
   are  very  relevant.   How else  can  we  explain  the
   willingness  of  the  countries of Northeast-Asia  and
   South  Asia to hold dialogues with us.  In  fact  many
   outside the region have expressed the desire to  be  a
   member of ASEAN.
   
   4.    While ASEAN has made notable progress,  we  must
   not  rest  on  our laurels.  We need  to  address  our
   challenges squarely.  To address these challenges,  we
   need  to  have  the political will and  commitment  to
   continue  to nurture and nourish ASEAN into  an  ASEAN
   Community.   Here we can take a leaf from the  process
   which   led  to  the  formations  ultimately  of   the
   European  Union.   Malaysia, as one  of  the  founding
   members of ASEAN, remains totally committed to  ASEAN.
   Indeed,  ASEAN will continue to be the cornerstone  of
   Malaysia's foreign policy.
   
   5.    While  ASEAN  remains open and  progressive,  it
   must  continue to deepen its relations with East Asia.
   An  East  Asian Community, with ASEAN at its core,  is
   inevitable.   It is important that we  as  ASEAN  play
   our  part  to  drive  this cooperation  in  the  right
   direction.
   
   6.    Finally,  I  wish  to stress  that  as  we  move
   forward,   we  must  not  disregard  nor   erode   the
   principles  that have kept us together. The principles
   of   non-interference,  of  consensus-based   decision
   making, national and regional resilience, respect  for
   national  sovereignty, the renunciation of the  threat
   or  the  use of force in the settlement of differences
   and  disputes,  must  always be upheld  by  the  ASEAN
   countries.
   
   7.    Finally may I take this opportunity to wish  all
   my  colleagues  the best in your future  undertakings.
   May  ASEAN continue to flourish for the benefit of all
   our peoples and the peoples of this world.
   
   Thank you.

   Sumber : Pejabat Perdana Menteri