Malaysia Will Host ICAPP General Assembly Next Year - Minister In PM's Dept

KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will host the 9th International Conference Of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) in October next year. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Shahidan Kassim said the proposal for the host job was discussed and agreed at the ICAPP committee meeting that started Sunday. Shahidan who is the chairman of the ICAPP Youth wing said the conference was expected to be participated by 350 representatives from member countries who would meet and elect new ICAPP office bearers. "The conference, held biennially, involves all Asian countries and represented by their political parties," he said after chairing the ICAPP committee meeting at Bandar Utama, here Monday. The 8th ICAPP general assembly was held in Sri Lanka last September for four days. ICAPP is a forum involving the ruling party, opposition and independent politicians from the Asia-Oceania region which was set up in Manila, Philippines in September 2000 and is aimed at, among others, at boosting cooperation and understanding. He said during the meeting they would also discuss management of natural disasters in Asia, issues of foreign workers, human trafficking, drugs, poverty and corruption. -- BERNAMA