I refer to the malaysiakini report We're not giving up on Burma .

Once every so often, we are privileged to read ministerial statements that are truly remarkable since they accurately reflect the state of our politics and politicians.

This week's outstanding gem is courtesy of Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar. He opines that: 'Southeast Asian nations will not give up trying to restore democracy to Burma even though efforts to coax along the military-ruled state have been unsuccessful'.

Now, how about that? Impressed?

Anyone with intelligence and an honest conscience will tell you that Asean 'will not give up trying to restore democracy in Burma' simply because ever since Burma joined Asean, the governments of Asean have done utterly nothing of consequence to advance the cause of democracy and the rule of law there. So, how not to stop when one never even started? Is thus the foreign minister's statement not another spurious attempt at sordid spin?

Instead, what Asean and its governments have been solely concerned with in Burma and internationally is to protect the interests of the murderous junta so as secure highly lucrative business opportunities for Asean's own politically well-connected companies and other unconscionable businessmen cronies.

Syed Hamid also went on to say that the military regime had 'expressed commitment to democracy'. After nearly 50 years of brutal military rule that has all but devastated and impoverished the whole country, we continue to hear truly outstanding statements like this from our foreign minister, whose views obviously suggest that he believes the military junta.

Well, I don't know about you but I can hear all the village donkeys throughout Burma (and the rest of Southeast Asia) going 'hee-haw, hee-haw, hee-haw...!'

Which, when you stop to ponder, is a remarkably accurate and honest statement about Asean's attitude towards Burma than that held - and consistently articulated - by servile junta apologists like Syed Hamid.