Duo 'a laughing stock in Bangkok'
Published: Jan 19, 2006 2:37 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
Malaysia's opposition has demanded that two top government officials explain their faulty claims that 130 Thai Muslim sheltering there had been sent home, saying the comments had made the country a "laughing stock in Bangkok."
Malaysia's opposition has demanded that two top government officials explain their faulty claims that 130 Thai Muslim sheltering there had been sent home, saying the comments had made the country a "laughing stock in Bangkok."
Law Minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad and Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail had on Tuesday erroneously told media that the Thais had been repatriated, but Abdul Gani later apologised for the "miscommunication".
Both men "should explain the cause of the 'miscommunication'," said Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang in a statement.
The incident had "adversely affected Malaysia's international image about the quality of leadership and governance in the country," he said.
A total of 131 Thai Muslims fled across the border last August, citing fear of persecution by security forces fighting an insurgency. Malaysia has extradited only one, in December, wanted for his links to Muslim guerrillas.
Seven hours of confusion
The group's flight has triggered a diplomatic row between Thailand and mainly Muslim Malaysia, and the pair's statements Tuesday left Thai officials trying to confirm the news, while Malaysian counterparts refused to comment.
Lim said the gaffe had caused seven hours of confusion in both countries and made the Malaysian government a "laughing stock in Bangkok."
He also noted that there appeared to have been a "black-out in the local mainstream media today" of news of blunder.
About 1,000 people have died in two years of unrest in southern Thailand blamed on the Muslim and separatist-inspired insurgency as well as organised crime and conflicts arising from local corruption.
Law Minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad and Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail had on Tuesday erroneously told media that the Thais had been repatriated, but Abdul Gani later apologised for the "miscommunication".
Both men "should explain the cause of the 'miscommunication'," said Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang in a statement. The incident had "adversely affected Malaysia's international image about the quality of leadership and governance in the country," he said.
A total of 131 Thai Muslims fled across the border last August, citing fear of persecution by security forces fighting an insurgency. Malaysia has extradited only one, in December, wanted for his links to Muslim guerrillas.
Seven hours of confusion
The group's flight has triggered a diplomatic row between Thailand and mainly Muslim Malaysia, and the pair's statements Tuesday left Thai officials trying to confirm the news, while Malaysian counterparts refused to comment.
Lim said the gaffe had caused seven hours of confusion in both countries and made the Malaysian government a "laughing stock in Bangkok."
He also noted that there appeared to have been a "black-out in the local mainstream media today" of news of blunder.
About 1,000 people have died in two years of unrest in southern Thailand blamed on the Muslim and separatist-inspired insurgency as well as organised crime and conflicts arising from local corruption.
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