Malaysia will do its bit for 'green' cause: Mahathir
RIO DE JANEIRO —Malaysia was disillusioned with the inequities between the North and South nations long before the Earth Summit but it would do its bit for the environment, Prime Minister Datuk Sen Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.
"In a world that has been won for democracy, we find powerful nations laying down terms even for participating in a democratic process," he said on Saturday.
He was taking the floor at the second day of the three-day plenary session for the heads of state and government to address the problems of global pollution and development.
"We find scant regard for the principles of fairness and equity.
"We find that even the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21 have been watered down upon insistence from the powerful and the rich," he added.
Not with standing all these, Malaysia still had high expectations of the conference.
"We will consider this conference on environment and development a success if there emerges a better understanding of the enormity of the problems we face and the need for us to co-operate on an equitable basis," he said.
Malaysia was prepared to play its part, he added but asked whether nothing could be done to reduce the cross-border waste.
"Is it right that the poor be forced to clean up the mess created by the rich?
"Should there not be some sharing of the task, the responsibility and the cost for cleaning up?"
He said that for the right answers there must be a modicum of sincerity and honesty on everyone’s part.
"Let there be evidence of all these when we try to identify the causes and to resolve the problems of sustainable development," he said.
If countries of the world were to achieve sustainable development, he said, they must be prepared to make the necessary adjustments.
"But if we begin by saying that our lifestyle is sacred and not for negotiation, then It would be meaningless to talk of development and the environment." — Bernama.
Seoul PM left to take a bus to town
SEOUL — The South Korean consul-general in the Brazilian city of Sao Paolo is to be disciplined for falling to meet his Prime Minister at the airport and leaving him to ride into town on a bus.
The Korea Herald said yesterday that consul-general Kim Jong Mm would be recalled to Seoul and disciplined for his inattention to Prime Minister Chung Won Shik, who arrived in Brazil on Monday to attend the Earth Summit.
"Chung and his party waited for Kim and other officials for about 20 minutes and then left the airport without a welcoming ceremony en an airport bus," the newspaper said.
The Herald quoted the Foreign Ministry as saying that Mr. Kim and Brazilian protocol officials were waiting in a reception room, unaware that Mr. Chung’s plane had arrived earlier than scheduled. — Reuter.
Source : The Straits Times, June 15, 1992
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