International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Abdul Aziz told Parliament today that RM9.5 million was spent for eight trade missions organised by her ministry in 2004 and RM1.1 million so far this year.

In a written reply, she informed Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) that the eight visits in 2004 were to West Asia, Asean, East Asia, Australia, India, Europe and United States. This year, three visits were conducted to the United States, Asean countries and China.

Karpal had requested the minister to furnish details, costs involved and the benefits of official trade missions overseas organised by the ministry since the general election last year.

Defending the missions, Rafidah revealed that they had produced RM162 million sales in 2004 and RM359 million sales in the first quarter of 2005.

In the long term, national export value and foreign direct investment (FDI) will be greatly boosted, she said.

The minister added that national export for 2004 had shown an increase of 20.8 percent compared to 2003 and the value in the first quarter of 2005 increased by 12.5 percent compared to the same period last year.

Shortage of English teachers

Meanwhile, in an unrelated development, Education Ministry Parliamentary Secretary P Komala Devi revealed that primary schools and secondary schools in Malaysia are short of 2,677 and 1,219 English teachers respectively.

Responding to an oral question from Rosli Mat Hassan (BN-Dungun), she said that until January 31 this year, national schools, Chinese-type national schools and Tamil-type national schools are facing the shortage of English teachers by 2,241, 390 and 46 respectively.

Asked on the solution to the problem, Komala said that the ministry is running various programmes to train new teachers to fill the vacancies. The programmes carried out included Bachelor of Education in Teaching English as Second Language (TESL), Education Course After Degree (KPLI), Degree in Education (PISMP), domestic and overseas twinning courses and six- week conversion courses for existing teachers

Komala also said that the ministry will build 110,000 to 200,000 houses in Sabah and Sarawak and 25,000 in Peninsular Malaysia for teachers in rural areas.