Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is acting as an apologist for the military junta in Burma by urging those who are clamouring for democratic changes to remain patient, said an opposition leader today.

"How much longer do the people of Burma have to endure under the rule of the military junta?" asked Parti Keadilan Rakyat (Keadilan) vice-president Tian Chua.

He said that it has been 13 years since the Burmese generals seized power after losing the 1990 general election to opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and it had been six years since Malaysia pushed for Burma's membership in Asean.

"Mahathir may say he has 'no regrets' in sponsoring the military junta's entry into the regional body, but the Burmese people will never forgive his crime for prolonging their suffering," said Tian Chua in a press statement.

Sanctions ruled out

Last Wednesday at the Bali Asean leaders summit, Mahathir told reporters that he has no regret for his key role in bringing Burma into the regional grouping.

He also urged the international community not to use sanctions to force Rangoon to adopt democracy.

This contrasted with his July warning to Burma that it could face expulsion from Asean if it continued to defy world pressure to release Suu Kyi, who is now under house arrest.

Mahathir had a 30-minute meeting with Burmese prime minister Khin Nyunt in Bali, following which he told the press that Asean would not be censuring Burma as that is not the regional grouping's way of resolving problems.

At the meeting, both leaders exchanged views on the junta's implementation of the vague roadmap to democracy.

Nevertheless, Mahathir stressed that as a "good friend of Myanmar", Malaysia will do what it can to help Burma's transition to democracy.

The Burmese military junta has renamed the country Myanmar, but this was rejected by its opponents who argue that the name change was made by an illegitimate government which seized power after a landslide victory by the opposition in the 1990 polls.

No political will

Tian Chua chastised the outgoing prime minister - who will be retiring later this month after 22 years in power - for letting off Burmese leader Khin Nyunt without stating any clear commitment to hand over power to the legitimately elected Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.

"The international community must have been utterly disappointed with the total absence of sincerity or political will to resolve the on-going political deadlock in Burma," he added.

The Keadilan leader also trained his guns at Asean for failing to keep up the changing times and rise above its outmoded framework of regional security and stability.

"Asean cannot cling to the old rhetoric of non-interference, national sovereignty and economic cooperation without developing a common aspiration towards universal human rights and democratic values.

"If Asean were to remain relevant, it must reinvent itself by putting forward an agenda to promote democracy and human rights. Only then, we can ensure a sustainable development that will bring equitable economic progress," said Tian Chua.