Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	CAMBODIA 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	14/04/94 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	THE STATE BANQUET HOSTED BY H.R.H. 
			SAMDECH KROM PREAH NORODOM 
			RANARIDDH FIRST PRIME MINISTER, AND 
			H.E. SAMDECH HUN SEN, SECOND PRIME 
			MINISTER OF THE ROYAL GOVERNMENT 
			OF CAMBODIA 




 Your Royal Highness Prince Ranariddh, First Prime Minister;
Your Excellency Samdech Hun Sen, Second Prime Minister;
Excellencies;
Ladies and Gentlemen,
    My wife and I are greatly honoured to have been invited
to  visit  the  Kingdom of Cambodia.   We are touched by the
warmth and friendliness extended to us  since  our  arrival.
We  are  especially honoured that your Government has agreed
to receive us and our delegation during  the  Cambodian  New
Year.    May  I,  on  behalf of the Government and people of
Malaysia, extend our warm wishes for a Happy and  Prosperous
New Year to all Cambodians.
2.     My wife and I are also moved by the honour granted us
by His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk Varman,   King of  Cambodia,
and  Her  Majesty  Queen  Norodom  Monineath  Sihanouk,  for
receiving us  in  audience  and  for  hosting  the  gracious
luncheon  today.    His  Majesty  stands  in high regard and
esteem among Malaysians.   To this day  Malaysians  remember
with  gratitude the role played by His Majesty in persuading
the then Malaysian Prime Minister and the President  of  the
Philippines to come to Cambodia for a summit meeting in 1964
to reconcile differences between the two countries.
3.      While  relations  between Cambodia and Malaysia have
always been cordial, this visit is especially historic as it
takes place 30 years  after  the  first  Prime  Minister  of
Malaysia   came   to   Cambodia.     The  intervening  years
unfortunately did not provide  Malaysian  leaders  with  the
opportunity  to  visit Cambodia.   Nevertheless Cambodia has
always remained close to our hearts.   We have  always  been
concerned  with  the situation in Cambodia and the plight of
Cambodians  during  those  years  when  your   country   was
undergoing  the  traumas of war.   But we are happy with the
positive results of  the  efforts  put  in  by  friends  and
neighbours   and,   most   importantly,  the  commitment  of
Cambodians  themselves  to  bring  about  lasting  peace  in
Cambodia.
4.      Malaysia  is  pleased  at having participated in the
Cambodian peace process and in the  UNTAC  operations.    We
consider  our  participation  as  a  responsibility, being a
close neighbour and ally of  Cambodia.    To  us,  peace  in
Cambodia is vital for the stability and prosperity of all of
Southeast  Asia.  As the leader of a coalition government, I
salute the wisdom of Cambodian  leaders  in  selecting  this
common  course  in  the  building  of  a peaceful and united
Cambodia.
Your Royal Highness And Your Excellency,
5.   A new dawn has broken over Southeast Asia.  The  return
of  peace  in  Cambodia and other changes in the region have
now presented  us  with  an  unprecedented  opportunity  for
enhancing  cooperation  between  and  among the countries of
Southeast Asia.  Never before have we  got  the  opportunity
for  all  the  Southeast  Asian  countries  to work together
towards wider regional cooperation in  the  true  spirit  of
goodwill and harmony.  The time has now come to forge a more
united Southeast Asia.
6.    A more united Southeast Asia will make us all stronger
in meeting future challenges.   It is  my  hope  that  ASEAN
would  ultimately comprise all the 10 countries in Southeast
Asia.  Together we can work with the other countries in East
Asia to develop a more resilient and progressive crescent of
prosperity in this region.   Laos  and  Vietnam  have  taken
steps  to prepare for their eventual entry into ASEAN.  Both
have now become observers of ASEAN.  I hope your  Government
will  consider Cambodia's participation in ASEAN as Laos and
Vietnam have done, so as to eventually blend into the  ASEAN
tapestry of regional cooperation.
7.     Now that a new era in the Cambodia-Malaysia relations
has begun,  Malaysia will take every  measure  to  reinforce
existing  interaction  between  the  peoples of Cambodia and
those of Malaysia, begun centuries ago.
Your Royal Highness and Your Excellency,
8.     I am  confident  that  the  bond  of  friendship  and
cooperation  between  Cambodia  and Malaysia will be further
enhanced following today's meeting.    Our  discussion  this
afternoon  has  been  most  fruitful.   Malaysia admires the
commitment  of  your  Government   towards   promoting   the
rehabilitation  and reconstruction of Cambodia and your will
and determination  to  nurture  national  reconciliation  to
enhance  peace  and  stability in the Kingdom.  We recognise
that you have an enormous  task  ahead.    Nevertheless,  we
fully  support your efforts.  I would like to emphasise that
the Malaysian Government will  continue  to  cooperate  with
Cambodia  in  your  reconstruction  and development efforts.
The   presence   of   Malaysian   corporate   leaders    and
entrepreneurs in my delegation, attests to their interest to
help  explore  mutually  beneficial  projects with Cambodia.
They are here to learn how best to put their  expertise  and
funds in joint efforts to develop your country.
9.     In order to strengthen our cooperation, it is fitting
that  both  countries  set  up  appropriate  frameworks   to
facilitate  the  signing of bilateral agreements between us.
Towards this end, it is my great  pleasure  to  invite  both
Your  Royal Highness and Your Excellency to make an official
visit to Malaysia which will certainly reinforce efforts  at
cooperation.
10.   I have come to Phnom Penh with the hope that there can
be put in place a new framework  for  sustained  cooperation
between Cambodia and Malaysia and between us and the rest of
Southeast Asia.  We should aim towards regional partnership.
It  is  also  with  this objective that I shall proceed from
your  beautiful  Kingdom  to  the  Lao  People's  Democratic
Republic,   another  one  of  Malaysia's  close  friend  and
neighbour.
11.  Once again, on behalf of my delegation, I would like to
express  our  gratitude  and  appreciation  for   the   warm
reception  and hospitality accorded to us by both Your Royal
Highness and Your Excellency and the Government  and  people
of Cambodia.