December 4, 2004

Malaysian politicians form cross-party caucus

Malaysian politicians will form a cross-party caucus on the violence rocking the southern provinces in Thailand, Malaysiakini, an on-line news service, said on Thursday.

``This will be the second parliamentary caucus after the first, which is on Burma,'' Prime Minister's Office Minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said.

The first parliamentary caucus was set up in June to demand free and fair elections in Burma.

The minister, who oversees parliamentary affairs, said he would call the first meeting with members of parliament on Monday to gather their views. Asked whether the cabinet agreed with the idea, he said he made the decision himself, as parliamentary affairs fall under his jurisdiction. ``Politicians are concerned about this issue,'' he said.

The proposal for a parliamentary caucus on southern Thailand was made by opposition leader Lim Kit Siang this week.

He said the caucus was timely given the continuing unrest.

Last week, Malaysian politicians raised similar concerns in a debate on an opposition emergency motion on Thailand's deep South