(12 Nov 1998) Mandarin/Eng/Nat

A row over free trade and concerns over global money melt down have dominated the opening session of the 1998 APEC economic summit in Malaysia.

Japan is refusing to take part in tariff cuts in two key sectors and is already at odds with the U-S-A.

Street protests over the trial of Malaysia's former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on corruption and sex crimes, threaten to overshadow the main leaders' summit.

As the good ship APEC docks in Malaysia for the annual 21 leaders' summit an economic storm is blowing through Asia as never before.

The Kuala Lumpur get-together is about halting a world-wide money melt down whilst trying to bale out Asian economies, already sinking fast.

But the Malaysian summit is also facing another issue.

In a courtroom in downtown Kuala Lumpur, the country's former Deputy Prime Minister
Anwar Ibrahim is on trial for corruption and alleged sexual misconduct.

His former boss - Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad - is blamed by Anwar supporters for conducting a politically motivated vendetta against him.

The case has led to street protests and claims by demonstrators of heavy-handed policing.

Anwar's wife Azizah Ismail is leading the movement to have him freed from what she believes are trumped-up charges.

She has this message for APEC leaders:

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Help - to speak the concerns about what is happening in our country. My husband's case is a test case for justice".
SUPER CAPTION: Azizah Ismail, Anwar's wife

For the Pro-democracy movement the issue is wider than just the jailing of the former deputy premier.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The issue is democracy. It is not so much Anwar and the rights to expressions, the rights to opinion as well as the right for demanding reforms for the political system, economic system."
SUPER CAPTION: Tien Shun, Pro-democracy movement leader

As security tightens around the APEC meeting venue, rumours abound of an escalation of the Pro-Anwar protests.

Leaders have been told they cannot visit Anwar in prison, but his wife may actively try to
meet some of them.

Heads of State arrive later this week.

For now senior officials are trying to work to put the Asian economies back on track.

Trade liberalisation may top the agenda, but its the region's economic woes which will dominate it.

SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin)
"The most important issue at the moment is the economic crisis in the region. As for Taiwan, we have always believed we are capable and willing of giving assistance, because this economic crisis has affected the whole region."
SUPER CAPTION: Andrew Hsai, Taiwanese Ministry of Industry Director General

No one in Kuala Lumpur this week doubts the breadth or depth of the crisis, but APEC nations differ on the best way out of what, for some countries, is full-blown recession.

The United States and the International Monetary Fund want to pave a free-market road to recovery, but Malaysia's host Premier says that approach has failed.

Mahathir wants currency controls to keep speculators away from Malaysia's money markets.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Our Prime Minister (Mahathir Mohamad) has often lamented about the free flow of capital and this so-called unbridled movement causing havoc to many markets, many economies. So I think the fact we are championing this - which also is in concert with the view of a lot of leading world economists - seems to suggest that it is very
much part of Kuala Lumpur's agenda".
SUPER CAPTION: Abdul Razak, Director General Malaysian Industry Ministry



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