Malaysian PM questions Rudd regional community proposal

Updated July 11, 2008 09:04:02

Australian PM Kevin Rudd and Malaysian PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in Putrajaya on Thursday. [Reuters]

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has questioned the need for the Asia Pacific community, proposed by his Australian counterpart.

Kevin Rudd discussed his proposal for an Asia Pacific Community in a two-hour meeting with the Malaysia leader.

He praised the role played by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in dealing with regional conflicts and in stabilising the region.

He says one of the reasons he advanced the long-term goal of the community was so the Asia Pacific economic community may have the capacity to evolve in the same direction in creating a culture of security co-operation and dialogue.

But Mr Abdullah has told the Australia Network's Newshour program that the proposal would take a long time to develop, and it may be better to develop existing institutions rather than create a new one.