EFFECTIVE PLAN NEEDED TO ASSIST POOR NATIONS - MALAYSIAN DPM

FROM ELMI RIZAL ELIAS

ROME, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin
has called for the formulation of a more effective plan in efforts to channel
aid to poor and developing nations.

He said that with the conclusion of the World Food Security Summit 2009 on
Wednesday, it was time that such aid was requested through the Food and
Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the developed nations.

"There must be a time frame to reduce the 50 per cent famine problems in the
world by 2015.

"In fact, there must be a certain time frame to implement the plan because
there are still people in poor countries who are starving and suffering serious
food deficiency," he said.

He said this to Malaysian journalists on the third and final day of the
Summit here which was attended by more than 60 heads of government.

Muhyiddin also hoped that the developed nations could show strong commitment
in helping to overcome the problems of world starvation, which affected more
than one billion people.

He said poor and developing countries needed sources of aid including in
terms of agricultural inputs, product market and price security.

At the summit meeting, Muhyiddin also led Malaysia's delegation in the
bilateral meetings with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday and
Indonesian Vice-President Prof Dr Boediono on Wednesday.
-- BERNAMA