Malaysia, the country that hopes to be the home of latest multimedia technology, is currently advising its people to "return to the soil'.

Threatened by a looming economic crisis, Malaysia plans to lease out land for commercial vegetable farming, paddy cultivation and also revive its 300 abandoned fish ponds. "Green' is suddenly "in' again and the people are being encouraged to farm foods and "eat' their way out of the nation's economic problems.

This "return to the soil' movement began as the national currency, the ringgit ( us $0.22), fell by 30 per cent after the recent regional economic crunch. The government announced a hike in prices of all imported food items. The new prices become effective from February 1. Since vegetables make up 13 per cent of the country's total food import costs, the authorities felt that this new movement would help ease the financialburden on this once "tiger economy.'