Section 2. Task 1. A Post-industrial Society. Part 1.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It's nice to see so many of you here. Well, I'd like to introduce our two guests this evening, Mr Andrew Frobisher, who's spent many years in Malaysia in the 1950s and 60s and knows the country very well indeed. And on my right, Dr Harry Benson who's an agricultural economist. Good evening, good evening.

Well, erm, the purpose of this evening is to find out more about that fascinating substance, rubber, and the effects that it has on that fascinating country, Malaysia. Erm, erm, I believe, erm, er, Mr Frobisher, erm, that Malaysia is at the same time an extremely rich and rather poor country. Erm, how is this possible? Yes, well, that's quite true, Monica. Malaysia's population is by now over 12 million, and er, per head on paper the citizens are richer than those of UK.

But of course that wealth is not so evenly distributed. In fact in 1981, it was estimated that 37% of the population were below the poverty line. Yeah, well, whatever that means and anyway shouldn't it be, er, was below the poverty line. Yes, of course, sorry, Andrew. Well, as I was saying, much of Malaysia's wealth is based on rubber.

Now, I remember my planting days...Yes, yes, yes, you're quite right there, Andrew. Rubber represents about 20% of the Gross National Product and 30% of export earnings.