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.