ASARC TO HELP DEVELOP SCOUTING MOVEMENT IN CAMBODIA, LAOS, VIETNAM

By Mohd Nasir Yusoff

JAKARTA, Oct 21 (Bernama) - The Asean Scouts Association for Regional
Cooperation" (Asarc) will help develop the scouting movement in Cambodia, Laos
and Vietnam, said its new secretary-general, Nasaruddin Shamsuddin.

Cambodia has about 20,000 scouts and Vietnam 30,000, while the
scouting
movement in Laos is being revived, he told Bernama here Monday.

He said this was decided at the Conference of Asean Scouts at the Cibubur
Scout Camp in East Jakarta last week.

Nasaruddin said the move would strengthen the cohesiveness of the Asean
scouting associations and the resolutions passed would be submitted to Asean
foreign ministers and youth ministers.

He said Malaysia and Indonesia were entrusted by Asarc members to lead the
regional body due to their vast experience.

Asarc has decided to hold the third Asean Scouts Jamboree in Singapore
in
2010 while the third conference in Kuala Lumpur in 2010.

Nasaruddin said the Scouts Association of Malaysia had invited Asarc
members to join the Johor International Scout Jamboree, next month.

Meanwhile, about 1,000 scouts from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia,
Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines and Laos are taking part in the
Asean Scout Jamboree at the Cibubur Camp which will end on Sunday. Myanmar is
absent from the event.

Meanwhile, the conference elected Indonesian Scout Movement chairman Azrul
Azwar as Asarc chairman and Kaharuddin Momin of the Scouts Association of
Malaysia, treasurer.

-- BERNAMA