A SINGAPORE opposition leader, May 31, called ASEAN’s decision to admit Myanmar in July a "terrible shame" and warned that the move could worsen the political situation in the army-ruled country.
Dr Chee Soon Juan, secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party, also criticised the Singapore Government for joining the ASEAN consensus to allow Myanmar's entry. Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos are to be inducted during the ASEAN annual meeting in Kuala Lumpur next month after its entry was approved at a special meeting yesterday of the group's foreign ministers in the Malaysian capital.
The decision was taken despite a fresh crackdown on pro-democracy forces by Myanmar's ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) and pressure from Western nations against opening ASEAN’s doors to the regime.
"It's a terrible shame that after all that the SLORC has done to the people of Burma, ASEAN is going to legitimise their rule by inclusion into the association," Dr Chee told AFP.
"We feel that it's again a very sad day for Singapore to support SLORC's inclusion into ASEAN," he added, citing the Myanmar regime's alleged involvement in drug trafficking.
Dr Chee said the SLORC would read ASEAN’s decision as a "green light" to "carry on with its ways" instead of being pressured into opening a dialogue with the opposition led by Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi. -- AFP.