Mahathir's son calls for reconciliation
Former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad's son, who helped facilitate a series of meetings between senior Thai officials and separatist leaders, has urged ethnic Malay Muslims in the South to reconcile their differences with the Thai state through peaceful means.
Speaking to a crowd of more than 300 villagers, religious leaders and government officials who turned up at this remote village for yesterday's ground-breaking ceremony for a new mosque, Mukhriz Mohamad said a "peaceful approach" was the only way to resolve differences between the Malay community and the Thai state. "Think of your children, your grandchildren and the future generations," Mukhriz said. The Musjid Aman, which is being funded by Mahathir, was a reflection of his father's efforts to "spark the spirit of peace" in this restive region, he said. More than 1,800 people, mostly Muslims, have died since January 2004. "It's not only a symbol [of peace] but a place where peaceful activities can be held," he said. He also pointed to his father's role in bringing senior Thai government officials and Thai-Malay separatist leaders together to the island of Langkawi for a series of peace talks. He said the two sides have achieved a "certain level of comfort" and called for more dialogue. Mukhriz, the executive director of the Perdana Global Peace Organisation (PGPO), which was founded by his father, described his organisation as an "honest broker" that is prepared to facilitate future talks between the Thai government and the separatist movements, adding that it does not have to be in Malaysia. Shazryl Eskay Abdullah, the Thai honorary consul in Langkawi, who also took a direct role in mediating the talks, said groups who had taken part in the Langkawi dialogue have dropped their demands for independence and were prepared to discuss with the Thai side specific issues such as social mobility for ethnic Malays, education, economic development and amnesty. He said these talks were not "formal negotiations" but were an opportunity for both sides to identify common ground for future talks. Mukhriz said he was optimistic that peace could be achieved in this restive region and praised Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont's "goodwill gestures" and his reconciliatory approach to the problem. He pointed to the government's decision to permit the Malay language to be used as a "working language" alongside Thai in the three southernmost provinces, as well as an economic plan to grant major tax cuts to investors. "Peace in the region is not only good for Thailand but also for Malaysia and the rest of Asean," Mukhriz said. Mukhriz's one-day visit to the region included a visit to the historic Krue Se Mosque.
Don Pathan The Nation Pasir Yawor, Pattani
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