SE Asia becoming 'resource-poor'

SE Asia becoming 'resource-poor'

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Southeast Asia is becoming a resource-poor region, the chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs was quoted as saying in a newspaper on Thursday.

The situation has been compounded by growing populations and high energy consumption, Simon Tay told participants of the Asia- Pacific Roundtable.

"Food production may lag behind growing populations and consumption," he was quoted as saying by The New Straits Times newspaper.

Tay added that this could create conflict between neighboring nations, thereby disrupting regional peace and security. He cited the competition for natural oil reserves in the South China Sea and illegal cross-border logging in Indochina as examples of current tension between nations.