Despite the setbacks in global economic progress, Malaysia has moved up in an annual development index (HDI) released by the United Nations Development Programme in Kuala Lumpur today.

Weighing in as a 'medium' human development country, Malaysia ranked 58 out of the 175 countries measured.

It is behind other medium-weighted countries such as Antigua and Barbuda, and Bulgaria, but ahead of Panama (59) and Macedonia (60).

According to UNDP Resident Representative Maxine Olson, Malaysia chalked improvements in its delivery of basic human needs, compared to countries such as Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong and Indonesia.

Malaysia climbed a notch from last year's ranking, and is three positions ahead of 2001 .

In terms of regional comparison, Singapore is ranked at 28, Brunei 31, Thailand 74, Philippines 85 and Indonesia 112.

The HDI is drawn annually from a composite of key indicators - life expectancy, education, human freedom among these - as way of assessing human progress beyond just per capita or national incomes.

'Fulfill pledge'

The Human Development Report continued to urge rich nations to fulfill their pledge to eradicate poverty in developing nations through greater aid and debt relief, and fairer terms of trade.

Each year, the report also builds its analysis around specific themes. This year, it looked at world progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) endorsed by 147 leaders at the Millennium Summit in September 2000. Forty-two nations have since been added to the list.

The eight goals spell out specific commitments by countries to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/Aids and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability and develop global partnership for development.

Over concerns that many countries may not be anywhere near in meeting these goals by 2015 - and that they may even register reversals - the report suggests a plan of action urging rich nations to support reform by developing countries in achieving the goals.

Called the Millennium Development Compact, the proposal argues that assistance from rich nations must be doubled to US$100 billion (RM380 billion) at a minimum, and trade barriers reduced to allow developing countries a chance to get back on track.

"Rich countries have pledged to increase aid, to relieve debt burdens, provide access to their markets and transfer technology - but action has been slow. Pledges have not been met and promises on trade and technology have not been kept," Olson said.

Citing an example of disparities, she pointed out that the annual dairy subsidy per cow in Europe is US$913. In contrast, the average annual income in Sub-Saharan Africa is US$490 per capita, while annual aid to this region from the EU is US$8 per person (US$1 = RM3.8).

"Malaysia's achievements have been encouraging...(its) progress in achieving many of the goals is due primarily to commitment to long-terms policies over the past 30 years that focused on...managing growth concurrently with...socioeconomic inequalities," she said.

In this sense, Olson added, a "MDG-plus", is a more appropriate (goal) for Malaysia - meaning that the country could now afford to set higher standards for itself as well as develop advanced targets within each of the set goals.