M'SIA NEEDS TO RE-FORGE ECONOMY TO BECOME GLOBAL CENTRE OF HIGH-ADDED

KOTA KINABALU (Malaysia), Aug 7 (Bernama) -- Malaysia needs to re-forge its
economy further to emerge a globally recognised centre of high-added services,
says Foreign Minister Anifah Aman.

As a fast developing, industrialising and trading nation, Malaysia is
very much dependent on a peaceful international environment and its foreign
policy to allow for a greater focus on economic diplomacy, he said.

"We have to work harder and compete better to find new markets for our goods
and services, strengthen and safeguard our competitive edge.

"That's why we need to re-forge our economy," he said when delivering a
talk on his ministry at Universiti Malaysia Sabah in this capital of East
Malaysia state of Sabah Friday.

Anifah said Malaysia's initiatives at various regional and international
fora had put the country on the world map.

Increased economic prosperity and political stability had also enabled the
country to carve its own niche in the international scene, he said.

"Making our presence felt has allowed us to exercise some influence in
setting the international agenda.

"Being less dependent on foreign aid and assistance, Malaysia has been able
to speak up on issues that other developing countries feel constrained to
voice," he said.

On foreign policy, Anifah said Malaysia continues to uphold firmly the
principles of the United Nations Charter.

"Malaysia abides by the principles of sovereign equality and mutual respect
for territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each
other's internal affairs, peaceful settlement of disputes as well as mutual
benefit in relations and peaceful co-existence.

"Our clear foreign policy goals in respect of defence and security,
development and trade, international cooperation and diplomacy determine the
pattern of relations that we have established with our neighbours and with other
countries within the framework of Asean, Asean Regional Forum (ARF),
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM),
South-South Cooperation, Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), the
Commonwealth, Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the United Nations (UN) and other
regional and international organisations," he said.

Anifah said the country's foreign policy prioritised close and friendly
relations with neighbours "whereby constructive approaches are taken to resolve
outstanding problems including that of overlapping claims and the determination
of land and maritime boundaries."

He said Malaysia would continue to forge bilateral relations with other
Asian, African, Middle Eastern and Latin American countries without neglecting
its traditional economic partners in Europe and America.

"At regional level, Malaysia lauds the move towards greater integration
within Asean, the cornerstone of Malaysia's foreign policy.

"With Asean becoming a single community by 2015, Malaysia aims to capitalise
on the opportunity of a single Asean market of more than 550 million consumers,"
he said.

Anifah said Asean, as a regional grouping, would remain the predominant
forum for maintaining regional peace and stability through dialogues and
cooperation.

The peace, prosperity and stability that Malaysia enjoys today are due to
Asean's role as an organisation that fosters trust and confidence among its
members, he said.

"We also have an important role in bringing the whole multilateral weight of
Asean to bear on all issues - climate change, pandemic diseases, human rights
and human trafficking, nuclear proliferation and terrorism," he said.

In this respect, he said, Malaysia would ensure Asean's collective voice
was heard in the most crucial gatherings wherever they were held around the
world.

"Asean's relevance and dynamism are all the more evident considering the
requests made for sectoral dialogue partnerships by a number of Asian, African,
and Latin American countries," he added.
-- BERNAMA