Welcoming Message by:

Rt. Hon Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam
Chairman World Youth Foundation

Distinguished Guest and Participants

       It is great privilege and an honor to wish all of you the traditional Malay greeting of “Selamat Datang” and a warm welcome to the historic city Melaka for this ASEAN Regional Workshop on HIV/AIDS: - Stigma and Discrimination -
       It is good to see that the young, who represent our future, are fully aware and concern with regard to HIV/AIDS related issues. From what I have gathered, there are some 111 local and 79 foreign participants taking part in the workshops lined up for the three-day program. 
       Although the target groups are young people from the ASEAN region, the gathering here today has attracted many participants from non-ASEAN countries such as Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Ghana, Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Nigeria.
       Our meeting here comes at a very challenging time as the world is facing the after effects of US-led war on Iraq and the unfortunate break of the SARS viral disease. However, despite these challenges, the Secretariat of the World Youth Foundation has managed to organize this gathering with success.

Ladies and Gentlemen

       The workshop among others, will deal with topics on what young people can do to counter stigmatization and discrimination of HIV/AIDS while helping the public understand the socio-economic impacts behind such perceptions.
       Not wanting to sound gender-bias, one of the main the focus of this workshop will be on young men. They are primarily the leaders, opinion formers and decision makers in society and as such they can have a great impact on reducing not only their own vulnerability to infection but also that of others. 
       I am sure the topics of discussion will generate much interest, as a majority of participants gathered for this workshop are young men themselves. Ladies and Gentlemen

       AIDS was discovered in 1981 in America and the disease has taken its toll on our society on a global scale. No one has been spared the suffering brought about by the disease and it has affected the governments, public and private sectors including non-government organizations.
       AIDS tells is a very grim story. When AIDS strikes, it not only destroys a victim physically but also mentally and emotionally. Not only does a victim have to deal with life threatening illness, but he or she will have to face stigma, discrimination and the humiliation that can be very unbearable.
        That is the reason why we are here today. The workshops that are to be held will give the opportunity for us to listen to stories of those who suffer such discrimination and stigma. It will give us the chance of hearing their silent cries of pain, suffering and how their world is crushed upon them.
       We ask ourselves what are the factors that contribute to the spread of HIV? The answers are many and range from the lack of guidance and knowledge, enculturation, gender inequality, poverty, urbanizations and many more.
       Also crucial is the stigma and discrimination of PLWHA or “people living with AIDS” as these is one of the biggest barriers to prevention and treatment. We, the government, NGOs and civil society, are stakeholders and we need to be more proactive in addressing the issue that drives this global epidemic.
       Stigma and discrimination of any kind is largely due to the fear of the unknown. Likewise, this fear also affects those living with HIV/AIDS. It is a fear that society at large is not been ready to accept such victims. We must then ask ourselves what can be done to tackle this ugly scenario and address the missing link.
       If we don’t, I fear that we might be seeing a new generation being wiped out by the apathy towards those who suffer in silence. We must not let this happen, as they are our hope, our future.

Ladies and Gentlemen      When I say that the young represent our future, I mean it literally. Asia is home of 63 percent of young people out of the entire global population of over 6 billion inhabitants.
       The first AIDS case in Malaysia was diagnosed in December 1986 and the number of infections has risen since then. From 1990 to 2000, the annual reported cases have increased from 778 to over 5000 a year. This is alarming.
       Though there appears to be high awareness about HIV and AIDS among Malaysians, this awareness does not translate into a deep and complex understanding of the disease.
       Hampering positive proactive measures to prevent the spread of the diseases are factors such as the lack of openness when discussing issues such as sexuality, practice of traditional community values and behavior reflected in gender inequalities.Ladies and Gentlemen

       I look forward and welcome the idea of laying the groundwork for the setting up of an ASEAN Regional Youth E-Network. It is my hope, that once set-up, the ASEAN Secretariat and the UNDP will play not only a facilitating role but a lead role in funding the network and organizing follow-up meetings among the selected representatives.
       Before I conclude, I would like to thank the notable speakers who will be sharing their time and inputs with all of you, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Economic Planning Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department and the Ministry of Health Malaysia for the generous sponsorship. My thanks also goes to the Foundation’s Secretariat, the ASEAN Secretariat, Panos Institute United Kingdom, UNAIDS Malaysia and the Malaysian AIDS Council for their help in making this event a reality.
       Last but not the least I would like to thank you - all participants for being here today. I hope you will enjoy your stay here in historic Melaka and have a fruitful discussion.
      Despite the busy schedules, I hope that you will find some time to savor and enjoy the many charms and sights that Melaka has to offer. As they say, to “Visit Historic Melaka Means Visit Malaysia” and as such you will surely take home fond memories of our historic city.Thank You.