KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) -- Malaysia wants the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) to use its unique cross-continental network to create new commercial and educational links among Commonwealth nations.

The issue will be raised by Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal at the CPA meeting which he will chair at its head office in Westminster House in London on Nov 5-6.

A ministry statement here said that as chairman of the CPA executive committee, Shafie had drafted ambitious and wide-ranging proposals for development of the CPA with particular emphasis on meeting the needs of parliamentarians in the developing world.

He is also committed to designing and installing innovative hands-on programmes for young people in the Commonwealth in business and political leadership development, it adds.

Other topics to be discussed at the meeting include the current world financial crisis and national membership issues.

Shafie, who was elected chairman in August, will meet members and staff of the CPA secretariat and the United Kingdom branch as well as make a working visit to the UK House of Commons.

Source: bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=368915