TSUNAMI WATCH: (Jan 6) World leaders at a summit in Jakarta have endorsed the setting-up of an early warning system in the Indian Ocean and South-East Asian region to prevent a recurrence of the Dec 26 tsunami catastrophe. The leaders of more than 20 countries, special envoys and heads of international organisations pledged to strengthen emergency relief and speed up rehabilitation and reconstruction. In their declaration at the Special Asean Leaders’ Meeting on the Aftermath of the Earthquake and Tsunami, they also agreed to work towards establishing better preventive steps, including public awareness campaigns and the sharing of technological know-how.
AID FOR ACEH: (Jan 7) Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has pledged Malaysia’s long-term support for the reconstruction of Aceh. Speaking after visiting the devastated Indonesian province, he said the support could continue for up to “five or 10 years.”
