The government today said it was backing Germany and Japan for permanent seats on a reformed UN Security Council.

"Our prime minister (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) has announced that he is supporting Japan and Germany," Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar told reporters.

He was asked if Malaysia would submit any names for permanent seats on the UN Security Council.

"That is the position that was taken long ago, and our prime minister has restated it," Syed Hamid said.

Germany and Japan are among key powers seeking permanent seats on the council, arguing the current lineup of five permanent members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - is outdated as it was founded in the wake of World War II.

UN must reform

Syed Hamid was speaking at a news conference after he met UN envoy Ali Alatas to discuss reforms to the UN.

"Generally there is an acceptance there is a need for United Nations reform. The United Nations of post-second world war is no longer in tune with the globalised world of today," he said.

In late March, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan proposed sweeping reforms to the UN General Assembly, including enlarging the Security Council to 24 members from the current 15, to better address the world's needs in the 21st century.

Annan named four high-level political figures as envoys to help promote his ideas for reforming the organisation, including Alatas, a former Indonesian foreign minister.

Syed Hamid last month reiterated Prime Minister Abdullah's support for Japan's bid despite demands from local lawmakers for an apology and compensation from Tokyo for war crimes during their occupation of Malaysia during World War II.