17. Poverty Eradication

A forum on Poverty Eradication will be held on 19th June at Prince Hotel. This forum should interest particularly South Asian countries, Africa and some ASEAN nations. They could be represented by their respective High Commissions and Embassies.

To be officiated by Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin, the speakers at the forum are as follows:

* Datuk Ahmad Tarmizi Alias, director-general of the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) which is one of the earliest and largest resettlement agency for the landless in the country.

* A.S.M. Mohiuddin, deputy general manager and head of the Co-ordination and Operation Department of the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh. The founder of the bank, which provides small loans to the poor without collaterals, Dr Muhammad Yunus, was awarded the Nobel Prize for his work last year.

* Datuk Dr Sulaiman Mahbob, director-general of the Economic Planning Unit, who had served primarily in economic-related agencies in his 33-year public career and who has amassed vast experience in poverty alleviation projects.

* Datuk Amihamzah Ahmad, chairman of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia, a micro-finance agency, which is patterned after the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh.

The half-day forum will be moderated by Dr Chung Tsung Ping, the Assistant Resident Representative (Programme) of UNDP Malaysia.

For further details:

Dr Amerjit Singh (Tel 03 7968 3205)
Puan Suryani Nayan (Tel 03 7968 3243)
Puan V. Radha (Tel 03 7968 3364)