Weshouldalltrytoreplace confrontation withconciliation and understanding, tension withdialogue, restrictive economic measures withaglobal andmoreresponsible approach totheeconomic problems oftheworld. Wecannotlet poverty andhungerprevail. Thecollective wisdomoftheinternational community shouldnotpermitthoseproblems tofester. Weoweitnotonlytothisgeneration butalsotothegenerations tocome. Mr.HITAM(Malaysia): Mr.President, mayIonbehalfoftheMalaysian Government congratulate youonyourelection tothepresidency ofthisfortieth session oftheGeneral Assembly. Yourunanimous election topreside overthis historic session oftheGeneral Assembly reflects ~~ehighregardinwhichyouare heldasadiplomat ofoutstanding ability andexperience. Iamconfident that, likeyourpredecessor, youradroit leader~hip willeffectively chartthecourseof thisfortieth session. Ishouldalsoliketopaytribute toour.esteemed secretary-General whohasshownthatthemostimpossible jobintheworldcan indeedbedonecreatively andeffectively. TheUnitedNations isanassembly ofsovereign Statesandtheworldisits constituency•AttheOUtset,then,inthefullglare 0fquestionsandexpectations onthefortieth anniversary oftheUnitedNations, mayIwithout h.~sitation state thattheUnitedNations hasdonewellandalthough itcandobetter, theworldisAP/rd A/40/PV.22 57 (Mr.Hitam,Malaysia) certainly abetterplacetodaythanitwasin.1945. Butthereisindeedneedtodo moreasweconfront challenges whichthreaten theUnitedNations asanopenforum ofmultilateral diplomacy. Theeffective functioning oftheunitedNations isdifficult enoughwithout detractors. Thosethatcannotgettheirownwaycompound thatdifficulty through propaganda. Propagand?:a claimsthatmanyMemberStatesvotewithorvoteagainst oneortheotheroftK'&etwosuper-Powers. Thisispresumptuous andasluronthe MemberStates' righta.ndability tovote.Tome,thecoincidence ofourvoting patterns withMeorother.ofthetwosuper-Powers depends ontheattitude ofthese supeJ::~~owera themselves. Werejecttheallegation. thattheUnitedNations is controlled byanautomatic majority andthattheautomatic majority pushes through extreme andunrealistic resolutions. Theseallegations failtoconsider the responsible andpainstaking efforts madetoworkforaconsensus onmajorissues. Su~elyitmustl)eappreciated thatwevoteonissuesratherthanonwhomtoplease, ortodisplease forthatmatter. Whilethepolemics between thetwosuper-Powers areissuesthatthey themselves mustaddreSS, wewhoarenotinvolved willstresstheneedforreasoned andrational dialogue whichis,afterall,whatdiplomacy isallabout,andwhat theUnitedNations is,orshouldbe,allabout. Certainly wewilldoallwecanto ensurethatdebates willthrowlightratherthanheat,andthatresolutions willbe arrivedat,totheextentpossible, byabroadconsensus. There is~however, oneaspectofthismatterwhichwemustnotforget. For I'IUchoftheworld,theoutlook isdesperate andalmosthopeless. Wearemerely raising ourvoicesinthehopethatthey,andwe,maybeheard. Weseektoexpress ourappeal andourindignation onbehalfofthewretched oftheworld, thepoor, thedispossessed, andthealienated, whoareallpartofourcomnonhumanity. We seektoremindthecallous andthecomplaCel'lt oftheindecency andhorrorofI IAP/rd A/40/PV.22 5a-60 (Mr.Hitam,Malaysia) apartheid, ofthecrueldisregard fortherightsofthePalestinian people, andof thecontinuing struggle ofsomuchofhumanity toensureminimally decentlivesfor themselves andtheirchildren. Iventure tosuggest thatthetoneofthe inte~national dialogue willbetransformed beyondrecognition ifonthesethree issues wecanallbeseentopulltogether • .Weareoutraged attheperversity oftheapartheid systemitself, whichseeks tostripforever everyfundamental rightofthevastmajority onthebasisof colour, andatthebrutality andcruelty oftheSouthAfrican regimewhichmakes waroneveryone whodarestochallenge itsdogmaofwhite supr~macy. Thisisa regimewhichopenlyinvades, destabilizes andintimidates itsneighbours ofwhich theaggression against Angolainthepastweekisonlythelatestexample. IAW/mh A/40/PV.22 61 (Mr.Bitam,Malaysia) ItclingstoNamibia indefiance oftheinternational commun~ty. Butwearealso outraged atthecomplacency andthedouble-talk ofthosewho,havingfinally uttered wordsofcondemnation, thengoontofindallmannerofexcuses todo nothingeffective. Theapartheid regtmeisamoralevilandathreattothe world. Wemustcollectively giveclearnoticeofourresolve toworkforits dismantlement andwithinaconceivable time-frame. Turning toPalestine, whatweinsistonisacommitment toanindependent StateofPalestine. Itisbeyondcomprehension tomehowitcanbeasserted that thePalestinians, anancient andhistorical people, shouldbedeniedtherightto theirownindependent homeland. Hence, weraiseourvoicesinoutrageatIsraeli intransigence, attheIsraeli policyofannexation, invasion ofneighbouring