OIC NEEDS A PEACE-KEEPING FORCE

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- The time is ripe for the Organisation of
the Islamic Conference (OIC) to form a peace-keeping force to be deployed in
troubled Islamic nations like Palestine, Minister in the Prime Minister's
Department Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Sunday.

He said that apart from joining forces to boycott Israel and US goods, as
suggested by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad Saturday, the world
Islamic community had to combine its strength to form a peace-keeping force.

"We have to use the existing premise, which is the OIC. We need to do more
on a united front. Not all OIC nations would be favourable to this idea but if
we have the majority, then why not?" he told reporters after opening the Ade
Nasution Centre here.

He said the United Nations and the UN Security Council were not playing
their role effectively in curbing the Israel-Palestine conflict, which had
resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians.

He said the OIC peace-keeping force could also be asked to work hand-in-hand
with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to enforce peace in troubled
regions, if the need arose.

"This is an idea which could be explored. It must first be accepted by the
heads of OIC states. There is an urgent need for the OIC to convene a special
summit for this purpose," he added.

Dr Zahid said he would bring up this proposal to Foreign Minister
Dr Rais Yatim at the next Cabinet meeting on Wednesday as "he can bring it up at
any OIC forum he attends in due course".

The Ade Nasution centre was formed on Nov 19 last year in an effort to get
some 950,000 registered Indonesian voters working in this country to exercise
their democratic right in the Indonesian elections slated for April 9 this year.

The centre is the brainchild of Ade Nasution, an Indonesian politician who
would be contesting in the polls under the Parti Amanat Nasional (Indonesia)
banner.

"I would like to clarify that the opening of the centre by me is not to
interfere in the internal politics of Indonesia but as a favour for Ade who has
been my friend for more than 20 years," said Dr Zahid.

On another matter, Dr Zahid, who is in charge of Islamic matters under the
Prime Minister's Department, said the Pilgrims Management and Fund Board (Tabung
Haji) was looking to purchase 140,000 hectares of land in Kalimantan, Indonesia,
for oil palm cultivation.

"We have about 60,000 hectares of oil palm plantation in Riau. In total,
Tabung Haji would have 200,000 hectares of oil palm plantation in Indonesia.

"Although the price of palm oil is low in the market now, we have agreements
with several nations and this ensures steady price for the commodity," he added.

-- BERNAMA