PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has pointed out the irony of Malaysia expressing “serious concern” about the suspension of democracy in Myanmar.
He said this happened after Malaysia also declared a state of emergency and suspended Parliament on Jan 13, purportedly to help fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
The military in Myanmar last Sunday (Jan 31) declared a state of emergency and suspended the democratically-elected government on purported grounds of election fraud.
“A government that three weeks ago declared an emergency and suspended Parliament, yesterday, expressed ‘serious concern’ about a government which declared an emergency and suspended Parliament two days ago,” Saifuddin (above) said in a Facebook post.
Wisma Putra yesterday expressed serious concern at the developments in Myanmar and called for a peaceful and democratic resolution.
Meanwhile, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim described the developments in Myanmar as alarming and deeply troubling.
Anwar said despite human rights concerns in Myanmar, it was at least a democratic country with potential.
However, he said the coup had undermined Myanmar’s shift to democracy.
“Despite mistreatment and human rights abuse towards the Rohingya people condoned by the previous administration, Myanmar was still a young and viable democracy with much potential.
“With these latest actions by the military, the powers that be will surely pull the nation and people of Myanmar further back into the abyss of military dictatorship,” he said in a statement.
Anwar called for Asean and world leaders to unite and call for the immediate release of political leaders.
The leader of Myanmar’s democratically-elected government Aung San Suu Kyi was among those detained by the military.
Anwar said the military in Myanmar should respect its people’s democratic aspirations.
In Malaysia, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had assured that a civilian government will remain despite a state of emergency.
He also stressed that it was not a military coup.
The Yang Di-Pertuan Agong had also set Aug 1 for the emergency to expire. - Mkini
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