Asean summit: No discussion on Burma, southern Thailand
Pauline PuahPublished: Nov 16, 2005 9:21 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
Issues involving Burma and southern Thailand will not be on the agenda when Malaysia plays host to the 11th Asean Summit next month in Kuala Lumpur, said Foreign Ministry parliamentary secretary Zainal Abidin Osman.
Issues involving Burma and southern Thailand will not be on the agenda when Malaysia plays host to the 11th Asean Summit next month in Kuala Lumpur, said Foreign Ministry parliamentary secretary Zainal Abidin Osman.
"We will not give attention to specific issues. We see this summit as a meeting among leaders and government to discuss bigger issues, for instance, the economy, violence and contagious diseases in the region," he told a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.
He said Malaysia would continue its non-interference policy and thus would not initiate discussion on the military dictatorship in Burma and the separatist violence in southern Thailand when members of Asean meet from Dec 12 to 14.
However, he said there is no prohibition on any quarters to raise these issues at the sidelines of the summit.
"All this while we always see issues of Burma and southern Thailand as their internal affairs. We will continue to hold on to this. I hope more important regional issues will be discussed, not only internal affairs of these countries," he said.
'Rocket' outdated
Answering a supplementary question on the matter by Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) in the Dewan Rakyat earlier, Zainal insisted that the summit would not restrict itself to discussing 'narrow' issues such as Burma.
"Sometimes I ask myself whether you represent DAP or MAP, meaning Myanmar Asean Party. You raise this issue all the time... The summit has other more important issues to discuss, not only Burma," he said with sarcasm, using the military regime's new name for Burma.
Before he could finish his sentence, Lim stood up and shouted: "Don't go around the world. Answer the question, come on!"
Unmoved, Zainal continue his line of attack, arguing that DAP's rocket symbol was outdated.
"Rocket could not be used anymore. Now if people go to the moon, they don't use rocket anymore," he said to laughter in the House.
A feisty Lim shot back
"Rocket is for science and technology... We love democracy, for Malaysia and the world. We are a world democratic party, not only for Burma."
Inaugural East Asia Summit
The Burmese junta has increasing come under criticism for its refusal to adopt democratic reforms which has embarrassed other members of the 10-nation Asean grouping.
Thailand and Malaysia have also been engaged in a war of words over the flight of 131 Thai Muslims across their common border, apparently fleeing violence in their homeland.
Asean members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The Asean summit will be followed by that inaugural East Asia summit which comprises Asean plus China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India and New Zealand.
"We will not give attention to specific issues. We see this summit as a meeting among leaders and government to discuss bigger issues, for instance, the economy, violence and contagious diseases in the region," he told a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.
He said Malaysia would continue its non-interference policy and thus would not initiate discussion on the military dictatorship in Burma and the separatist violence in southern Thailand when members of Asean meet from Dec 12 to 14.
However, he said there is no prohibition on any quarters to raise these issues at the sidelines of the summit.
"All this while we always see issues of Burma and southern Thailand as their internal affairs. We will continue to hold on to this. I hope more important regional issues will be discussed, not only internal affairs of these countries," he said.
'Rocket' outdated
Answering a supplementary question on the matter by Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) in the Dewan Rakyat earlier, Zainal insisted that the summit would not restrict itself to discussing 'narrow' issues such as Burma.
"Sometimes I ask myself whether you represent DAP or MAP, meaning Myanmar Asean Party. You raise this issue all the time... The summit has other more important issues to discuss, not only Burma," he said with sarcasm, using the military regime's new name for Burma.
Before he could finish his sentence, Lim stood up and shouted: "Don't go around the world. Answer the question, come on!"
Unmoved, Zainal continue his line of attack, arguing that DAP's rocket symbol was outdated.
"Rocket could not be used anymore. Now if people go to the moon, they don't use rocket anymore," he said to laughter in the House.
A feisty Lim shot back
"Rocket is for science and technology... We love democracy, for Malaysia and the world. We are a world democratic party, not only for Burma."
Inaugural East Asia Summit
The Burmese junta has increasing come under criticism for its refusal to adopt democratic reforms which has embarrassed other members of the 10-nation Asean grouping.
Thailand and Malaysia have also been engaged in a war of words over the flight of 131 Thai Muslims across their common border, apparently fleeing violence in their homeland.
Asean members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The Asean summit will be followed by that inaugural East Asia summit which comprises Asean plus China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India and New Zealand.
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