DAP: Cancel Mugabe, Bashir visits to Malaysia

The government should cancel invitations given to Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and Sudan President Omar al Bashir, who are globally criticised for war crimes, opposition parliamentarians said today.

M Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) filed an emergency motion in Parliament under Standing Order 18(2), protesting the invitations to Mugabe (left in picture) and Bashir to take part in the Langkawi International Dialogue from June 19 to 21.

"Both leaders have track records in their respective countries on the question of human rights that is written in infamy," Kulasegaran said.

"More than 300,000 people have died from famine and attacks by the Janjaweed marauders who are armed and financed by Bashir's regime to bring dissident elements in Darfur to heel," he said.

Inviting such leaders showed that Malaysia was "indifferent" to the plight of those suffering from the crimes committed, Kulasegaran added.

Such an invitation also contravened the resolutions passed at the recently formed Malaysian chapter of the Parliamentarians for Globe Action (PGA).

Kulasegaran said that since Malaysia had committed itself to sign up as a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) during a forum by the PGA, it needed to "take note of its responsibilities".

'Biggest crooks in the world'

"You invite the biggest crooks in the world, where killings are going on. Continuing with this only sends a wrong signal to the international community... it's a litmus test," he said.

"Serve Omar a warning that he is liable to be arrested under the warrant issued by the ICC," Kulasegaran said.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant against Bashir for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in the war-torn western Sudanese region of Darfur.

Human rights watchdog group Amnesty International (AI) is also concerned about the visit and called for the invitations to be revoked immediately.

"Malaysia should not turn itself into a port of call for fugitives from international justice," AI's Asia Pacific deputy director Donna Guest said.

"The Malaysian government should bar Bashir from its territory and arrest him if he turns up," she added.

Bashir is the first sitting head of state to be targeted by an ICC warrant, and ICC statutes dictate that any member country should arrest him if he visits.

De facto Law Minister Nazri Aziz had said earlier this year that Malaysia would recognise the ICC's jurisdiction to declare that it rejects crimes against humanity.

Nazri: M'sia must respect ICC order against Bashir