Malaysia launched the World Eco-Tourism Expo 2007 in Ipoh, capital city of northern Perak state on Thursday.

The 4-day event was expected to create awareness of rainforests, wildlife and wetlands as well as the lifestyles and heritage of the ethnic minority communities of the Asmat Province of Indonesia and Malaysia.

Malaysian deputy minister of Tourism Lim Siang Chai officially launched the expo.

Malaysia, Brunei, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, and Fiji demonstrated their ecotourism resources at the expo.

The Perak state government has for the first time brought together six international renowned speakers from Rwanda, the United States, China's Hong Kong, Indonesia and Malaysia to give speeches, presentations and demonstrations at the event.

(Xinhua News Agency October 27, 2007)