M'sia blocks anti-Myanmar motion in parliament
M'sia blocks anti-Myanmar motion in parliament
Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia has blocked a parliamentary motion seeking to deny Myanmar the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) chairmanship next year unless it implements democratic reforms, a lawmaker said on Tuesday.
The move showed that the government did not want to "offend the Myanmar regime", said Zaid Ibrahim, chairman of the cross- party Pro-Democracy Myanmar Caucus.
"It is unfortunate the government has found it unnecessary to allow the debate even though it is not binding," the lawmaker from Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's ruling party told AFP.
The motion had been expected to be heard in parliament Thursday as it was the only date available during this session of the legislature.
But "you can't bring anything to parliament if it does not get the government's agreement," Zaid said. "I am pessimistic the debate on Myanmar will ever be allowed. It is truly a setback."
The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus has proposed similar motions be debated in the legislatures of Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Last Wednesday, the Philippine Senate unanimously approved a resolution calling for ASEAN to strip Myanmar of the group's rotating chairmanship unless it frees opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.
The United Nations, the European Union and the United States have all objected to Myanmar taking over the chair of the 10- member grouping next year because of its poor human rights record.
The issue has exposed divisions among ASEAN members Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Foreign ministers failed to reach a consensus on the issue during a retreat in the central Philippine island of Cebu early this month and deferred a decision on the chairmanship until July, when they will meet again in Laos.
"Obviously some people think bilateral ties between Malaysian and Myanmar are important," Zaid said. "But I think our relations with the rest of the world are more important."
Asked if economic considerations could be the reason for throwing out the motion, Zaid said: "I think we have huge investments in Myanmar. But we will lose more in the long term. Surely, human rights and democracy is more important."