Don't worry dear, SPDC generals, Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar's recent declaration that "the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) will not continue to defend the Burmese military government if it continues to be reluctant to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and take new democratic steps" is just a ritual firing of blanks before each and every Asean meeting. It is like a ceremonial display of fireworks only.

Many Asean leaders, including Malaysia's, make this kind of thunderous rambling to show off noises before each and every Asean regional forum meetings but they never dare to walk the talk. Their threats always fizzled out in thin air later. They should change the Asean acronym to Nato to mean not the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (which has real bite) but to mean 'No action, talk only.'

I had a false hope about a better future for Burmese citizens as an Asean member when Malaysia was promoting the acceptance of our country into Asean. How naive were my optimistic daydreams. When we were outside the Asean, Burmese citizens could enter Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore without any visa. Now we need visas to enter all these countries. The Asean visa- free status is said to be for Burmese government officials only.

Many Asean countries including Malaysia have signed a double taxation agreement with Burma. But oh ... It is for government-related business only and not for all other ordinary citizens. So we all need to pay additional or double income tax at Burmese embassies after paying duly at the host country's income tax departments.

So don't worry SPDC junta generals. Your citizens are not favoured in Asean but you and your children, relatives and cronies are favoured in all Asean countries. Just regard the rhetoric-firing as just a welcoming gesture to all of you only. It is like your Thin Gyan Amyoke or Sonkram Cannon, they produce loud sounds but have no ammunition inside.

They are used to appease the US, EU and Western countries and also to show off to the free world. After that, it is business as usual amongst all of you. Asean will duly announce that it cannot interfere in another member country's internal affairs.

Please don't worry, Sirs. They are also staying in glass houses. There are also a lot of skeletons in their closets, not only in yours.

You are warmly welcomed for the forthcoming Asean regional summit and all subsequent meetings. After all there is a saying, birds of the same feather flock together.