HISHAM GETS EXTRA TIME TO SPEAK AT UNESCO MEET

Monday October 6, 2008
Hisham gets extra time to speak at Unesco meet
PARIS: Two Unesco executive board members from Asean -- Thailand and the Philippines -- will give up a minute each of their speaking time for Malaysia to voice the region’s issues and concerns when the board meets here today.

The mandate will be shouldered by Malaysia’s Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, who now has 10 minutes of speaking time.

“Malaysia is honoured and obliged to carry this mandate for both countries,” said Kenneth J. Luis, Malaysia’s permanent delegate to Unesco, the United Nations Educational, Scien­tific and Cultural Organisation.

Traditionally, the 58 board members are given eight minutes each to deliver their speech at the meeting.

The board meets twice a year to examine the work programme for the organisation and corresponding budget estimates. Unesco has 193 members.

Luis said that the move to “surrender” speaking time was a first among Unesco’s board members from Asean, although it had been a practice among the European Union (EU) members.

He said the development was a recognition for Malaysia, particularly Hishammuddin, as they believed that the minister, who is South-East Asian Ministers of Education Organi­sation (Seameo) president, would be able to make a positive impact at the meeting.

“He understands the region well, particularly in the education area. They have faith in him to deliver the regional message effectively,” Luis said.

He said Hishammuddin was expec­ted to spend about three minutes on regional issues and the remaining time on Malaysia’s achievements and its recommendations for Unes­co.

Hishammuddin would likely highlight, among other things, the South-East Asian countries’ mission to achieve the Education for All goals by 2015. - Bernama

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