Malaysia must accept the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as the country has acceded to its statute, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said today.

He was referring to the invitations extended to Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and Sudan President Omar al Bashir, who are globally criticised for war crimes, to attend an international economic forum in Putrajaya next week.

NONE “This is a serious matter, I will take it to the cabinet,” said Nazri.

Even if the forum was privately organised, he said, the government had to adhere to the arrest warrant (against Omar) issued by the ICC.

Although the Malaysian government has yet to be party to the Rome Statute of the ICC, Nazri said, the decision to join was final.

In Parliament this morning, M Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) filed an emergency motion protesting the formal invitations issued to Mugabe and Omar to take part in the Langkawi International Dialogue from June 19-21.

"Both leaders have track records in their respective countries on the question of human rights that are written in infamy," Kulasegaran said, and called on the government to cancel the invitations.

Earlier today, AFP quoted human rights group Amnesty International in calling on Malaysia to arrest the Sudanese president if he arrives in the country.

Omar and Mugabe are among several African leaders expected to take part in the Langkawi International Dialogue.

"Malaysia should not turn itself into a port of call for fugitives from international justice," Amnesty's deputy director for the Asia Pacific  Donna Guest said in calling on the country to respect the ICC arrest warrant for Omar.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants against Omar for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in the war-torn western Sudanese region of Darfur.

'Invitation flies in face of move to join ICC'

"The Malaysian government should bar Bashir from its territory and arrest him if he turns up," Guest said.

NONE Omar ( right ) is the first sitting head of state to be targeted by an ICC warrant, and ICC statutes dictate that any member country should arrest him if he visits.

"Malaysia's invitation to Omar al Bashir flies in the face of its decision to join the ICC," AFP quoted Guest as saying in a statement.

"Instead of hosting people wanted by the ICC, Malaysia should reaffirm its commitment to justice," she said.

The annual Langkawi International Dialogue is hosted by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak. The leaders will discuss how to boost economic and political ties to fight poverty.

About 300,000 people have died since conflict broke out in Darfur in 2003, when non-Arab rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum for a greater share of resources and power, according to UN figures.

Sudan's government says 10,000 have been killed. ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo accuses Omar of personally instructing his forces to annihilate the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups.

DAP: Cancel Mugabe, Bashir visits to Malaysia

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