With regards to the ongoing Asean summit in Laos, there should be no such thing as absolute non-interference in Asean and that they should discuss the Tak Bai incident in southern Thailand.

However, the discussion should be in the open i.e. all countries should be represented in the discussion or debate. This means that those who talk must also be held accountable for what they say. They should not deliver rhetorical speeches just for the benefit of the press.

The days when what happens in one Asean country does not matter to another are over. If Asean countries are to become more and more integrated, then it makes sense that they should discuss matters that occur in each another's country.

Some of the ill consequences of incidents such as the bird flu was a result of Asean countries being unwilling to question each other on the true situation despite the fact that such consultation would have been more beneficial to all involved.

I would support this initiative because it would also mean that the next time there is a Kampung Medan, other Asean countries get to question our government too. Next time they jail Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, Anwar Ibrahim or Karpal Singh, other Asean countries get to ask questions too.

It would mean that the next time Umno Youth goes after Suqiu or the Chinese educationist movement, our government will have to tolerate Singapore posing questions on it.

I am all for it.