Phillipines President and US Senators urge Myanmar to release Suu Kyi; Burmese oil and gas companies urge relaxation on restrictions imposed in September 2008 on sale of gas; Malaysia to launch second remote-sensing satellite on April 21
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    • During her meeting with Myanmarese Prime Minister Thein Sein on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Pattaya recently, Philippine President Gloria Arroyo urged Myanmar’s ruling junta to release the detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Arroyo noted that such a step would definitely help the authorities in acquiring “tremendous goodwill from the international community1.”

    Recent calls to release Suu Kyi were also made by a group of women senators from the US, including Dianne Feinstein and Kay Bailey Hutchison, who urged UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to put pressure on the junta to help secure the release of Suu Kyi and scrap the regime’s electoral plans2.

    In other developments, fighting broke out at the Karen National Liberation Army’s (KNLA) camp at the border location of Wah Lay Kee, with units of the Burmese Army and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), launching a joint attack on April 153.

    Reports noted that the Burmese oil and gas exploration companies have urged a relaxation on the restrictions imposed in September 2008 on the sale and transfer of stakes in the country’s natural resources. The measure had affected energy exploration initiatives as well as brought about a huge loss of revenues for the companies involved4.

    Malaysian royal couple Yang-di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah arrived in Chile on April 19 for a five-day official visit. Their visit is expected to boost bilateral trade relations, which stood at $336 million in 20085.

    Reports noted that Malaysia will launch its second remote sensing satellite RazakSAT on April 21. The satellite is expected to give a huge boost to agencies like the National Aero Space Agency (ANGKASA), Remote Sensing Malaysia (MACRES) and National Oceanography Department6.

    In Thailand, although anti-government protests have reduced, the government decided to extend the state of emergency in Bangkok. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva stated that the emergency will be lifted only after peace in a true sense prevails within the country7. PM Abhisit has however returned to his office at the Government House to resume work after three weeks of anti-government demonstrations. He has also expressed his willingness to promote reconciliation with his predecessor Thaksin Shinawatra, through an amnesty for politicians linked to the former leader8.

    Prior to the Bali Regional Ministerial Meeting (BRMC) or Bali Process, senior officials of Indonesia and Australia met on April 14 and discussed issues such as people smuggling, human trafficking and other transnational crimes9. Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda also expressed the hope that during the Bali process, Myanmar will come forward with plans to resolve the Rohingya refugee issue10.

    In other developments, Indonesian Defense Minister Juwoo Soedarsono met with his French counterpart Herve Morin in Paris, where both the leaders agreed to explore measures to further improve cooperation in fields like education and training of military personnel, field communication, defense industrial development and bilateral dialogues11.

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