M'SIAN PM NAJIB CALLS FOR SETTING UP OF REGIONAL RAPID RESPONSE TEAM

SINGAPORE, June 3 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak Friday
called for the establishment of a rapid response team as a regional humanitarian
body with the ability to respond to disaster when it strikes.

He said a significant degree of regional and global cooperation already
existed, and building upon this would draw the major powers closer towards each
other.

"Indeed, regional processes such as the Asean Regional Forum and the Asean
Defence Ministers Meeting Plus 8 are already actively exploring cooperation in
disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.

"And, I would like to call today for the establishment of a regional
humanitarian body, a new Rapid Response Team, with the ability to respond to
disaster when it strikes," he said in his keynote address at the 10th
International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue, here.

Najib said these activities were especially relevant because they fostered
direct interaction between the defence and security agencies of different
countries.

This, he said, went beyond formal declarations and high-level dialogues to
coordinate operations on the ground.

Najib pointed out that establishing the ARF was one of the most far-sighted
and bold initiatives the regional community had taken to strengthen peace and
foster stability – inclusive in nature and embracing countries of all political
hues.

"We have been a little slow, though, in making progress on our agenda of
building confidence and security contacts and of preventive diplomacy.

"So, it is clear that the ARF, complemented by the AMM plus 8, has to make
greater haste and show stronger political resolve on all sides – but in building
new alliances and forging new security contacts, we should not forget the old
ones like the Five Power Defence Arrangement," he added.