缅甸外交部:马哈蒂尔老眼昏花一边凉快去

南国游子

      

      据缅甸时报，日前马来西亚前总理马哈蒂尔对缅甸迫害罗兴亚人的事情，发表了自己意见，他对缅甸政府提出猛烈批评，甚至称要把缅甸赶出东盟。

      马哈蒂尔是老牌政治家，马来西亚也是传统的穆斯林国家，而且缅甸当年能够加入东盟，也是在马哈蒂尔大力推动下才得以完成的，马哈蒂尔应该有权利对缅甸政府提出批评，吃水不忘挖井人嘛。

      对于此事，缅甸时报采访了缅甸外交部副部长。他回应说，马哈蒂尔根本不了解实际情况，因为他太老了，他已经89岁。言下之意就是，缅甸政府认为马哈蒂尔没有发言权，一边凉快去。

  Senior government officials yesterday reacted strongly to a suggestion by former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad that Myanmar should be punished and even expelled from ASEAN for its policies toward the Rohingya.
   Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad speaks at an event in Kuala Lumpur on June 5. Photo: EPAFormer Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad speaks at an event in Kuala Lumpur on June 5. Photo: EPA
Deputy Foreign Minister U Thant Kyaw told The Myanmar Times that Mr Mahathir’s views, set out in a speech in Kuala Lumpur on June 12, showed the former premier was out of touch with the situation, possibly on the grounds of his age. Mr Mahathir is 89.
ASEAN recognises Myanmar as a member that brings benefits to all in the region, U Thant Kyaw said.
  U Hau Khan Sum, director of the ASEAN Affairs Department, said he was surprised by Mr Mahathir’s comments because the former premier understood well the importance of unity in ASEAN and how the regional grouping was moving forward to a peaceful and prosperous community.
“I don’t understand why he spoke like that because Myanmar has been cooperating with all member countries for resolving those problems right now and Myanmar has already stated that no country should be singled out through finger-pointing,” he said.
“As you know, ASEAN does not make decisions without consensus. Therefore, it is impossible to expel Myanmar from ASEAN,” U Hau Khan Sum said.
Mr Mahathir slammed Myanmar’s treatment of the Rohingya Muslim minority in a keynote address at a conference titled “Plight of the Rohingya, Part II Crime Against Humanity” held at Kuala Lumpur’s Islamic Arts Museum.
He said ASEAN countries had throughout the years taken a diplomatic approach in trying to engage Myanmar over the issue.