Najib to make historic visit to southern Thailand

Four years after hitting the lowest point in their otherwise excellent bilateral ties, Malaysia and Thailand are on the brink of an historic milestone as their top leaders meet in the kingdom on Tuesday.

On Aug 30, 2005, 131 Thai Muslims from the restive southern Thai provinces fled to Malaysia to seek refuge in Kelantan, which led to a diplomatic row between the two countries.

It led to accusations that Kuala Lumpur was meddling in the domestic affairs of the its neighbour which was battling separatists in the Muslim-majority provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.

The situation almost turned ugly at one stage after former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad suggested that Thailand grant autonomy to the three Muslim-majority provinces, a sensitive issue in the kingdom which considered the concept as similar to granting independence.

But four years later, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva ( right ) and his Malaysian counterpart, Najib Razak, who both came to power within the last 12 months, are scheduled to visit Narathiwat on Dec 9, the very province that the refugees left due to security fear.

Today, all the 131 Thais are back in their homeland, both capitals are enjoying the best of ties and more importantly, are working together to find a peaceful solution the conflict that had claimed over 3,500 lives since 2005.

First M’sian PM to visit southern Thailand

In fact, Najib told two Thai dailies last October that Bangkok should consider granting autonomy to the restive provinces, but, unlike in 2005, the reaction here was mixed, with both pros and cons.

Najib is leading a high-powered delegation, which includes nine ministers, to the Fourth Annual Consultation at the Government House on Tuesday, and it will also be his first official trip to Thailand since assuming the premiership on April 3.

"This is unpredecented as nine minister are coming. Both prime ministers have good rapport and enjoy personal ties," Malaysian ambassador to Thailand Husni Zai Yaacob said in an interview in Bangkok.

Husni said this was an historical visit as it would be the first time that a prime minister of Malaysia was visiting the southern border provinces of Thailand.

Malaysia is Thailand's fourth largest trading partner while Thailand is Malaysia's fifth, with total trade between the two countries amounting to US$19.6 billion in 2008.

In 2008, 1.8 million Malaysians visited Thailand while 1.49 million Thai tourists visited Malaysia.

New ‘Friendship bridge’ across Sungai Golok

A Thai Foreign Ministry official said there was no fix agenda for the meeting, but the focus would be on security cooperation, especially security along the border and those related to transboundary issues like human and drug trafficking as well as maritime.

Besides that, both sides are likely to update the progress in talks over future cooperation in the field of higher education, youth and sports, as well as on the Singapore-Kunming railway project, halal industry and linking the Thai Southern Development with Malaysia's North and East Coast Corridors.

He said there are also plans to build a new bridge linking Tak Bai in Narathiwat and Pengkalan Kubur in Kelantan, as well as to expand the bridge linking Sungai Golok and Rantau Panjang.

The Thai Foreign Ministry said that during their visit to Narathiwat, Abhisit and Najib would co-officiate at the renaming ceremony of the second bridge across Sungai Golok to "Friendship Bridge" linking Ban Buketa, Narathiwat and Bukit Bunga, Kelantan.

They would also witness the signing of the agreement on the management, maintenance and usage of the Friendship Bridge.

Najib and Abhisit would also visit the Att Arkiah Islamiah Institute, which has over 4,000 students and a co-corriculum in both Islamic studies and modern subjects.

Later, Najib and Rosmah would visit the sufficiency economy village project of Ban Rotunbatu where widows and children of those killed in the conflict are living.

- Bernama