Malaysians companies should continue with their investments in Burma so as not to hurt innocent people in the military-ruled nation, said United Nations special envoy to Burma Razali Ismail.

Asked to comment on Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz's recent remark that "doing business in Burma is similar to doing business with the Devil", he responded that he did not agree with the minister.

"I don't necessary support that. I think sanctions or things like that hurt people. Wrong and innocent people could get hurt," Razali told malaysiakini when met at the Global Peace Forum 2005 in Kuala Lumpur today.

Two weeks ago, Nazri had said that "as a member of Parliament, I don't think I want to do business with the Devil. There is a limit to our conscience."

"Would you like to do business with a government of to Stalin or Hitler?" Nazri asked.

The Brussels-based International Conference of Free Trade Unions has listed 468 companies that are allegedly doing business with the military junta in Burma, including 27 Malaysian firms.

One of the 27 is state-owned Petronas and another is the Razali-linked Iris Technologies, which the envoy had clarified that it no longer conducts business in Burma.

Happy with talks

Meanwhile, Razali said he was "happy and delighted" with the outcome of discussions on Burma at the just-concluded Asean summit as Asean has acted on behalf of the region.

On his expectations of the Asean delegation which will be visiting Burma next month, he said the delegation would shoulder the responsibility of clarifying the situation with Burma.

"First, (they have to) point out that Asean countries are getting concerned, they have waited for Myanmar (Burma) to fulfill the commitments made," he said.

This included releasing pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners, as well as for the military junta to involve other parties in the national convention, Razali added.

"When they (the delegation) go there, they would have to ask all these questions and perhaps they might even want to see some of these people.

"Obviously, there must be very clear objectives of what they want to do there, don't just go there and listen to the same assurances that have been given," the envoy stressed.

Asked whether the delegation headed by Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar should insist on meeting Suu Kyi, he said the meeting should be a "natural" thing to do.