PETALING JAYA, 15 May 2009: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should lead the way in demanding for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the Malaysian Parliamentary Caucus on Myanmar and the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) said today.
Their spokesperson, Lim Kit Siang, said Najib should lead Malaysia and Asean to pressure the Myanmar military junta for the democratic leader’s immediate release.
“Suu Kyi cannot under any circumstances be blamed for the intrusion into her home, especially as her house was well-guarded by Myanmar security forces,” said Lim, who is also DAP adviser and parliamentary chief.
The Myanmar military junta yesterday charged Suu Kyi for breaching the terms of her house arrest when an American swam across a lake and sneaked into her house.
Her trial is set to begin on 18 May. If convicted, Suu Kyi may be jailed up to five years in Yangon’s Insein prison.
The 63-year-old Nobel Peace Laureate, who is also in fragile health, has been under unlawful house arrest for 13 years over the past two decades. Her present house arrest was supposed to end on 27 May.
Lim said he had tried to meet Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman yesterday on Suu Kyi’s latest persecution but was informed that Anifah was in the US and would only return to Malaysia on 17 May.
He added that he had conveyed the request to meet urgently with the foreign minister before Suu Kyi’s trial on Monday to Anifah’s political secretary.
Lim said the Myanmar military junta’s “ridiculous charge” on Suu Kyi was against Myanmar’s commitment to the Asean Charter, which promotes and protects human rights. Myanmar ratified the charter in 2008.
“The purpose clearly is to stretch her detention past its supposed expiry date this month and through controversial elections due in 2010,” said the Ipoh Timur Member of Parliament.
The Malaysian Parliamentary Caucus on Myanmar and AIPMC have also called for an emergency meeting of the Asean Foreign Ministers, ahead of the regional grouping’s July ministerial meeting in Bangkok.
Suu Kyi’s recent charge has also drawn flak from the international community. Singapore has expressed dismay over the recent development and reiterated the call for her immediate release.
Indonesia has also urged the military junta to drop the false charge against Suu Kyi. Jakarta said that it was not optimistic about the court case’s outcome.
Western countries including Norway, the United Kingdom, and the US have also condemned her arrest and demanded for her immediate release. 
kuntakintae says
Najib should, or should he? Does he have the moral clout? There ARE similarities between what’s happening there and here. Perhaps he should put his house in order first before advising others.