Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	STADIUM SULTAN ISMAIL NASIRUDDIN 
			SHAH, KUALA TERENGGANU 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	28/07/94 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	THE WORLD TAEKWON-DO CHAMPIONSHIP 


 
    It gives me great pleasure to be given this opportunity
to address this distinguished gathering today.  On behalf of
the Government, the Organising Committee and myself, I bid a
warm `Selamat Datang' to all the delegates and  participants
to  this  Ninth World Taekwon-Do Championship which is being
held in Terengganu.
2.   This occasion is made possible by the confidence placed
by the International Taekwon-Do Federation in its  Malaysian
counterpart.    Malaysia  is  happy  to play host to such an
event,  especially  now  that  work  is  being  focused   on
preparations  for  the  Commonwealth  Games  to be hosted by
Malaysia in 1998.
3.    An international event with  participation  from  more
than  80  countries  may  be  quite a new experience for the
State of Terengganu.  I therefore would like to commend  the
efforts by the State Government and the Minister of Tourism,
Arts  and  Culture  and all the officials involved in making
possible this event today.   This  could  not  have  been  a
better way of introducing Terengganu to foreign participants
and delegates especially in terms of its strategic location.
The  Taekwon-Do  Championship  which  is being held here can
complement the State's efforts to promote not  only  tourism
but  also  to  encourage foreign and local investments to be
located in the East Coast region generally and Terengganu in
particular.
4.     Besides, this  event  today  represents  yet  another
opportunity  for  participants  and delegates to get to know
each other  better.    This  will  go  a  long  way  towards
strengthening  the  relations  between  Malaysia  and  other
countries, particularly in helping to  bridge  the  cultural
gap between member countries.
5.     I understand Taekwon-Do in Malaysia had its beginning
in 1963 when His Excellency General Choi Hong Di was Korea's
First Ambassador.  Today with more than 100,000 members I am
sure this occasion will be a  special  home-coming  for  His
Excellency  General  Choi  Hong  Di.    His early efforts in
introducing Taekwan-Do in Malaysia have proved to be  a seed
well-sown.
6.   Although I may not be involved in the martial  arts,  I
still  believe  that martial arts are useful in moulding the
character of a nation.  With discipline,  i.e.  self-control
as  its  basic  requirement,  martial  arts  can develop our
younger generation to be  more  responsible    and  to  have
qualities  that  are  important  to  nation-building and the
development of human values.   Today in a  world  where  the
powerless  and  the  weak  are  being  openly  oppressed, it
becomes our social responsibility to inculcate  and  nurture
in  our  young  an  understanding of right and wrong and the
need  to  uphold  good  moral  values.     This   Taekwan-Do
Championship  is  therefore  most  appropriate as a platform
where the fostering of friendship among  participants  could
be enhanced and to promote world peace and goodwill.
7.      Though this is not a proper forum to dwell on such a
philosophical issue  the  sight  of  the  contingents  today
reminds me of the hope for the international community to do
what  is  morally  right, especially when so many around the
world are  being  so  blatantly  forced  to  migrate  or  be
massacred.    It  is  no longer considered honourable to get
slightly hurt in order to  help  the  less  fortunate.
8.    This  Championship may be just another event but it is
my hope that participants and delegates will  take some time
off to see and enjoy the beautiful and enchanting spots here
in the  East  Coast  and  bring  home  with you the memories
of Terengganu and Malaysia.
9.    On that note, I  have  great  pleasure  to  officially
launch the Ninth World Taekwan-Do Championship.
     Thank you.