Barisan Nasional (BN) and opposition parliamentarians today momentarily set aside their differences to support an opposition motion to criticise the Thai government's handling of the Tak Bai tragedy in southern Thailand.

The nine MPs were Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian), PAS' Kamaruddin and Abdul Halim, Chow Kon Yeow (DAP-Tanjong), Dr Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Itam), Badruddin Amiruldin (BN-Jerai), Dr Rahman Ismail (BN-Gombak) and Mohamed Aziz (BN-Sri Gading).

Speaker Ramli Ngah Talib this morning accepted the emergency motion submitted by Salahuddin, saying he viewed the motion as being urgent and of public interest.

The Tak Bai tragedy on Oct 25 resulted in 78 Thai Muslim protestors dying of suffocation after they were heaped into army trucks. This drew international condemnation and outrage.

Thai military personnel had loaded the detainees up to six deep in trucks for the ride to a military prison following a demonstration outside a police station in the Muslim-dominated Narathiwat province.

The Tak Bai incident was the worst violence seen in southern Thai since April 28 when Thai troops stormed the ancient Krue Se mosque in Pattani, killing more than 100 alleged Muslim insurgents who had taken refuge there.

Muslim leaders, organisations and governments have since urged Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra to resolve the problems as soon as possible to avoid more deaths.

Favouritism shown?

Meanwhile, opposition leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) took exception with the Speaker for picking PAS MPs over DAP parliamentarians in debating the Education Ministry's allocation under Budget 2005.

"I congratulate PAS which is being rewarded," said Lim at the end of his debate, pointing out that only two DAP MPs had been given the opportunity to speak since this morning.

Apart from Lim, the other DAP MP allowed to speak was Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah).

Elaborating, Lim said Kamaruddin Jaffar (PAS-Tumpat) was the third speaker, while two others from the same party - Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman (Pengkalan Chepa) and Abdul Fatah Harun (Rantau Panjang) - were also given the floor.

"I am the opposition leader and I had to stand up several times before I was finally allowed to speak... as (I'm the) opposition leader, the Speaker should have showed me some courtesy," he said, stressing that DAP is the largest opposition party in the House.

Kamaruddin, apparently upset with Lim's remark, rebutted him during the debate on the motion over the Tak Bai tragedy.

He said he was disappointed with the DAP leader's remark and urged the latter to forward his unhappiness to the Speaker's chambers.

"We are disappointed with the opposition leader. We see him as the collective leader of the opposition and as our leader but he does not see us as part of his leadership," the Tumpat MP said.

Lim immediately rose to explain that he was not against the PAS members being given a chance to speak.

"My remarks were aimed at the Speaker. We want the Speaker to be fair to everyone in the opposition and the government," he said.

DAP left the opposition coalition Barisan Alternatif in 2001 after crossing swords with PAS over the latter's intention to establish the Islamic state.

Yesterday, during the election for the new Speaker, PAS parliamentarians ignored DAP's nominee Dr Tan Seng Giaw to throw their support behind Ramli.