Saturday July 5, 2008
Malaysia: Focus must be on oil crisis issue
By MAZWIN NIK ANIS
Rais Yatim opening the media centre for the sixth D8 summit
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is hoping to use its position as the new chairman of the Developing Eight (D8) countries to get its members to rally behind plans to get the world community to address the pressing energy crisis issue, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim said.
He said with the energy crisis, particularly the constant increase in oil prices becoming a bane to a large segment of the global population, the issue must be discussed by leaders at every available opportunity and platform.
“We are hoping the topic of energy crisis will be the focal point of discussion when leaders of the D8 member countries meet on Tuesday.
Touch and launch: Rais pressing a computer keyboard to launch the summit’s media centre in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Looking on is Foreign Affair’s Secretary General Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa. “At least from here, we will be able to put forward a collective view and make our position on the issue known to others,” he said in his speech at the opening of the media centre for the sixth D8 Summit yesterday.
Established in 1997, the group comprises eight developing countries – Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey and Malaysia. The grouping, among others agreed that the D8 should become a catalyst towards fostering tangible and substantive economic co-operation among Muslim countries.
Three heads of government or state have confirmed their attendance namely Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, Pakistani Prime Minister Makhdoom Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Egypt, Turkey, Nigeria and Bangladesh will send senior representatives.
Rais said the goal remained equally important today for the grouping, whose combined population represented 14% of the world population, adding that when the summit held its first meeting 11 years ago, the single greatest challenge was how to integrate with the global economy and maintain its Islamic identity at the same time.
“The theme for D8 Summit, 'Meeting challenges through innovative Cooperation' is most appropriate and I am certain that we will be able to come up with many new and concrete ideas as well as pragmatic and effective proposals which we can collectively implement,” he said.
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