Malaysia denies Thai charges

Malaysia denies Thai charges

Agencies, Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia showed growing irritation on Tuesday over charges by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra that it is harboring Muslim separatist terrorists.

Defense Minister Najib Razak said there was apparently no truth to claims that bombers and gunmen responsible for attacks in southern Thailand had crossed the border into mainly-Muslim Malaysia.

Najib, who is also deputy prime minister, told a news conference Malaysia believed the spate of violence in southern Thailand this year was "an internal security problem of Thailand's".

Asked whether there was any truth to claims that terrorists had crossed the border into Malaysia, Najib said: "No. Well as far as we know, we have no specific report and our security forces have not found anything yet.

"Malaysia is not a safe haven for any terrorists."

Najib's comments came after Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar was quoted as having told Thailand to stop recycling old stories about the country harboring militants.

"Every time an incident like this occurs there, Malaysia surfaces as a party to it, somewhat or other. The same things are repeated and the old accusations arise," he was reported as saying by the leading English language Star daily.

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is due to meet his Thai counterpart Thaksin in Kuala Lumpur this week, though no date has yet been confirmed.

Thaksin had asked to see Abdullah on April 9 to discuss the security situation in southern Thailand, where a spate of violence has killed 60 people since January and has been blamed on militants hiding in Malaysia.

Thaksin said last week: "We have to clearly tell Malaysia that currently Malaysian villages are harboring militants. We are not accusing them but we want Malaysia to take action as it has pledged to cooperate."

Questioned on Tuesday over Malaysia's reaction to Thaksin's statement, Thai government spokesman Jakrapob Penkair replied: "Thailand's prime minister never said Malaysia is a safe haven for terrorists, he never said that if there are no arrests it will affect the bilateral relationship.

"We will explain everything when the two leaders meet."

Malaysian ministers have constantly affirmed their readiness to cooperate with Thailand, but have complained of inadequate or inaccurate information from the Thai side.

"We've had some initial reports, we've investigated these reports, but we have found out that they (militants) are not in the area that they were said to be," Najib said.

"But we are working very closely with Thai authorities in terms of what we can do if and when they cross over to our side of the border, and if we are given specific information as to the whereabouts of these people.

"Our forces are put on high alert on the border. On our side it is very calm, but we are willing to act as and when it is necessary."

High on the agenda of the talks between Thaksin and Abdullah will be tackling the issue of militants who allegedly hold dual Thai-Malaysian nationality.

The militants are accused of carrying out a March 27 bombing in a Thai border town which wounded 28 people, including eight Malaysian tourists.