KUALA LUMPUR, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia has proposed to establish a humanitarian relief center in the Asia Pacific region to allow countries in the region to help each other in case a disaster strikes, according to reports reaching here Sunday.

    The proposal was made by Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in Singapore, where he was attending the Shangri-La Dialogue, a high-level Asia Pacific security forum.

    Malaysia's national news agency Bernama reported that Najib pointed out that the center will consist of civilian and military forces from countries in the region.

    The end objective for creating such a center is the need to respond immediately and effectively when needed, said Najib who also serves as Malaysia's defense minister.

    The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he said, should show the way within it in that respect, working out the standard operating procedures, identifying units available, deciding who is to do when something happens.

    The relief center also should embrace other countries, like the United States, Australia, Japan and others, he said.

    He hoped that the creation of the center would pave the way for the construction of a "security community" in the region.

    Najib spoke of the concept of "security village" at the dialogue when he delivered a speech entitled "Constructing A Regional Security Community", for those "inhabitants" in the region who share common security values to live together.

    Najib said that the construction of the village must be carried out on an all-inclusive approach, with economic management as one of its pillars.

    Leaving anybody out of the village will make those excluded feel that they are the targets, he said, adding the village must not make enemies in it.

    The spirit of a common value system must be inculcated in the community, for instance, mutual assistance, he said.

    He said the spirit of helping one another was evident during the Asian tsunami in 2004, and recently in and around Indonesia's earthquake-hit Yogyakarta.

    The security in this community is common security, or security for all, he said. it was not just the security of states or of sea-lanes, but the safety of its peoples.

    Societal illnesses from crimes to poverty were alive and kicking in the region, he noted. In this respect, economic management would be one of important pillars. Enditem