Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Mohamed Mustapa of Malaysia

As a member of an ethnic party within an ethnic political system, I doubt if Mustapa has any room to manoeuver whatsoever in terms of taking any other line than what he did.

Mustapa said that currently about 30 per cent of lecturers in Malaysian universities had PhD degrees.

Mustapa had discussions with the University of Melbourne, his alma mater, and other Australian universities for a PhD programme where students would complete part of the degree in Malaysia and part in Australia.

Emphasising the importance of education and the opportunities available in the higher learning sector, Mustapa said outstanding lecturers would be fast-tracked to higher positions, including professorships.

Mustapa said the revised Public Service Department rates was to keep up with the rising cost of living in Australia and New Zealand, highlighted by strong representation from scholarship holders.

In a seminar on Malaysia's recovery efforts, organized by the World Bank in Washington, Mustapa said it was important for the government to ''move aggressively'' in strengthening the banking system because ''the WTO (World Trade Organization) is knocking on our doors and asking US to liberalize our financial sector.

Mustapa said he expected agreements to be signed by the end of March and ''we hope they will start on a different footing'' by the end of June or July 2000.

When asked why the government intervened in bank mergers rather then letting the markets decide for themselves, Mustapa said the banks were urged to merge in the 1980s, ''but our advice fell on deaf ears.

While Najib and Muhyiddin looked to be the favourites, Mustapa said any other Umno leader could contest the top spots in line with the party's democracy process.

Mustapa said Najib had more than 30 years of experience in the government and chaired numerous Cabinet-level committees.

On the deputy president's post, Mustapa said as the winner would be become the deputy prime minister, it was important to have the best and proven candidate than any ordinary one.

Asked if he would vie for any top posts in the party, Mustapa said he would be happy to contest just a Supreme Council seat.

Mustapa said that the government had been providing subsidies on petrol, diesel and cooking gas for a long time and the government was now paying a higher subsidy despite the price hike.

engaged in the breeding of 1,170 ostriches.

Mustapa said his ministry was in the process of providing information to exporters and importers and the governments of countries exporting fruits and vegetables to Malaysia.

Mustapa said he had asked the Terengganu Agrotech Development Corporation Sdn Bhd to identify the financial problems encountered by the parties involved in the project.

Mustapa said the first phase of the project involved making 200 fish cages with the harvest meant for local and foreign market.

Mustapa was accompanied by Terengganu SEDC general manager Datuk Zakaria Awang.

Mustapa said that his ministry had set up an international students division to cope with the increasing number of foreign students pursuing higher education in Malaysia and turning the country into a center of educational excellence.

Mustapa said his ministry had set up a council tasked with formulating a program to promote local institutions of higher learning abroad.

Mustapa said the government had also given the approval for raising of the national rice stockpile besides the stocks held by wholesalers and those which could be milled.

Mustapa said the presence of foreign students would not only help bring foreign exchange into Malaysia but more importantly, would add he international dimension to campuses of Malaysia's institutions of higher learning.

Mustapa said the government was paying high subsidy to keep the rice price low and affordable to the people.

Mustapa said the ministry received notice of the reduction in the rice prices two days ago.

To a question, Mustapa said there was no form of control on transport costs but hoped that prices of goods which depended on transport costs would be reduced following the reduction in fuel prices.

Mustapa said the prices of goods at the wholesale market depended on various factors and that the government could not exercise control because Malaysia adopted a free market policy.

gained invaluable experience in managing well during the political crisis.

up big time during this political crisis.

Mustapa had said the allowance, which would cost the federal government RM14 mn ($4.

The students welcomed the visit with Silat and Kompang performances symbolizing the traditional Malay culture which UTM strongly uphold, Dato Mustapa was also greeted by all students organizations in UTM including the students council (MPP.

In his speech, Dato Mustapa said that he was touched by the grant welcome he received from the students and expressed his gratitude to UTM and the students for being able to organize the event in such a short notice.

Mustapa said the government had also approved raising the national rice stockpile besides the stocks held by wholesalers and those which could be milled.

Mustapa said the government planned to raise production up to 90 per cent of sufficiency under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

Mustapa said the government had to depend on rice imports because the country's production was only 73 per cent of sufficiency.

Mustapa said Malaysia also wanted access to market dairy and meat products.

After visiting the Wildwood Dairies in Warragul, about 100km southeast of Melbourne, Mustapa said the ministry was seeking new technologies to increase milk production.

Mustapa said the situation in Malaysia was under control, with no report on HPAI received by the Veterinary Service Department so far, and advised the public not to worry.

Mustapa said 12 USM specialists and 30 Cuban experts would develop the vaccine from halal extracts of animals slaughtered according to Islamic tenets.

In addition, Mustapa said a 10-sen incentive would also be given for each kilogramme of fish unloaded at the jetties owned by the Fisheries Department to encourage fish landings at these jetties.

Mustapa said Thailand had sold 200,000 metric tonnes of rice to Malaysia as part of an emergency purchase agreement last week to supply 500,000 tonnes of rice to the country to bolster its stocks.

Mustapa said that a timeframe and price agreement had yet to be drawn up for the remaining 300,000 tonnes of rice.

Mustapa said the funding and the opening up of new paddy fields would lead to a 7.

Operations to prevent chicken smuggling at border areas have to be beefed up," Mustapa was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times newspaper.

Mustapa said the course is aimed at reducing racial segregation, which is evident in university cafeterias, lecture halls and even on sports fields, the newspaper said.

Mustapa said Finlay Institute was picked as USM's working partner for being among the best medical institutes in Cuba and in the world.

Mustapa said worldwide Muslims now rely on non-halal vaccines imported from the West to meet the mandatory requirement set by Saudi Arabia for hajj and `Umrah.

Malaysia has a sufficient stockpile of food," Mustapa was quoted as saying by Bernama.