Nazri says Mugabe, Bashir not welcome in Malaysia
(The Malaysian Insider) – Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said today that he will “strongly recommend” that the federal government withdraw invitations to Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for an international economic forum here.
The two presidents are scheduled to attend a forum to be held in Putrajaya from June 19-21.
The minister in the prime minister’s department said today that Malaysia had a responsibility to ratify the position taken by the International Criminal Court (ICC), since it was a member.
ICC had issued a warrant of arrest in 2008 for Bashir over Khartoum’s genocidal campaign in Darfur.
“I am taking this matter seriously, will discuss with Cabinet … we should comply with the charter. As such, I strongly recommend the government withdraw the invitation,” the minister told reporters today.
He said that he was surprised that Mugabe and Bashir were invited, and that the matter was not discussed during Cabinet meetings.
