As coalition forces began to swarm around Baghdad, people of different faiths will gather in Penang tomorrow to pray for peace and an end to the war in Iraq.

Organised by Stop The War Coalition Malaysia (Penang Chapter), the first inter-faith gathering here will be held at the Millenium Square, Esplanade at 5.30pm.

The Coalition, which is supported by 62 civil societies and religious groups in Malaysia, is expecting about 7,000 participants.

It is learnt that the police and the Penang Municipal Council have permitted the group to conduct the gathering, which would include poetry recitations and singing of solidarity songs.

When contacted, Penang State Executive Councillor and Gerakan leader Dr Toh Kin Woon confirmed that he would be present at the event.

Toh reiterated his criticism for the war and o­nce again called for the suspension of the United Kingdom and Australia from the Commonwealth.

He said in the past, a number of Commonwealth member states have been suspended for their violation of the group's principles.

[Fiji and Pakistan were, for example, suspended for their failure to observe principles of governance and human rights].

"It must be observed that these were all Third World countries," said Toh, in his personal capacity, adding that his views does not necessarily represent those of the state government or Gerakan.

"The time has therefore come for the Commonwealth to demonstrate that it is equally prepared to take action against developed countries," he added.

Emergency session

Meanwhile, the anti-war Coalition has called for an emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss the Iraq issue under UN Resolution 377 - "Uniting for Peace".

"This is the mechanism by which the General Assembly can be called where the Security Council has failed to exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security because of the lack of unanimity of the permanent members," said the coalition in a press statement.

"We are aware that the US is doing everything in its bullying power to prevent such a session being called, despite their protestations that they are leaders of the "free and democratic" world," the group added.

The group urged the government to resist this bullying and called o­n Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad as chairperson of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to lead the way in encouraging other UN members to come together at this critical and urgent time.