About 50 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) today criticised a Singapore-based company for its intention to invite former British prime minister Tony Blair to give a talk at a business congress to be held in Kuala Lumpur on April 24.

The NGOs said they were strongly opposed to the invitation because of Blair's role in the occupation of Iraq in 2003, which led to the deaths of over one million Iraqis.

"We are very disappointed with Success Resources Company from Singapore which is organising the event and inviting Tony Blair to give a talk here," said Perdana Global Peace Organisation honorary secretary Zulaiha Ismail, who represented the NGOs in a news conference in Kuala Lumpur.

She said the NGOs protesting the invitation included Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa), 4B Youth Malaysia, Federation Of Kwong Siew Association Of Malaysia, Viva Palestina Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur Foundation to Criminalise War.

"Malaysian NGOs, their members and supporters sympathise with the Iraqis for the invasion of their sovereign country by multinational forces led by troops from the United States and the United Kingdom and the immense suffering they had to bear, especially the women and children," she added.

She said the NGOs hoped that the organisers could withdraw the invitation to Blair and added that an online petition at www.perdana4peace.org had so far collected 2,800 individual signatures.

- Bernama