KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has called for a halt to the widespread conversion of arable land to produce biofuel as it is deepening global food scarcity and further driving up food prices. Speaking at the opening of the Sixth Summit of the Group of Eight Islamic Developing Countries (D8) here Tuesday, Abdullah said the world must not allow the zeal for energy security to come into direct conflict with the basic need for food production. Expressing deep concern over spiralling food prices and skyrocketing fuel prices plaguing the international community, especially the poor, he reiterated Malaysia's call for measures to stop speculation in the futures market which were pushing oil prices beyond their actual levels. Describing the food shortage as the most urgent challenge facing the world...
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