Media statement by the Parliamentary Special Select Committee for International Affairs on Tuesday 26th July 2022 in the Malaysian Parliament:
The Malaysian Parliamentary Special Select Committee for International Affairs condemns the act of violence by the military junta in Myanmar and its execution of 4 democracy and freedom fighters, including a former MP Phyo Zeya Thaw who was an opposition lawmaker from Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy as a threat to Parliamentary democracy in the region.
This kind of travesty must be condemned by ASEAN as a whole as a threat to democracy, freedom and justice in the region. The execution of 4 democracy fighters because of political differences, particularly voices of dissent show how far an illegitimate government with unchecked powers and scrutiny will go to permanently silence these brave voices of conscience.
Having been tried in a kangaroo court under “anti-terrorism laws” resulted in a perversion of law and the execution of 4 innocent men in their fight and struggle for a free and just Myanmar.
The Malaysian Parliamentary Select Committee stands in solidarity with democratically elected lawmakers under this regime of tyranny and expresses our heartfelt sympathies with the families of these democracy fighters.
As lawmakers, we cannot rest on our laurels when a lawmaker, anywhere in the world has been denied his or her right to a fair trial and is subjected to political witch hunting aimed to gag and muffle voices of dissent.
We must heed this clarion call and rise above ourselves to call out these acts of injustice and for the international community including the United Nations to urgently act on Myanmar’s junta military and for the release of all political prisoners including journalists and activists, immediately and unconditionally.
In this case, the death penalty was used as a tool for revenge to punish those who dared to speak up and to go against the Myanmar junta military and it must be condemned by all who believe in a Parliamentary democracy.
The threat against lawmakers and human rights activists who criticise, scrutinise and probe the conduct of the Governments is imminent all over the world but is particularly grave for ASEAN when it has hit so close to home.
ASEAN’s principle of a “non-interference policy” must not be regarded as an enabler for illegitimate establishments to do as they please, violating charters in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Malaysian Parliamentary Special Select Committee for International Affairs calls for peace in Myanmar and to remind leaders in ASEAN on their roles to protect the ASEAN community from a possible yet devastating snowball effect of extreme exertion of power by the junta military in Myanmar in the region.
Dictators learn quickly from each other and we must prevent this from proliferating in the ASEAN region.
We stand with the lawmakers and people of Myanmar who yearn, hunger and desire for a free, democratic and just Myanmar.