The car bomb that killed at least six and injured dozens of people in southern Thailand on Thursday signifies how the war is actually escalating. With thousands of people killed over the past 12 years, the conflict has turned into a personal vendetta - between the Muslims against security forces and among religious sects.
Malaysia, as usual, views the development within the scope of our border security with Thailand. However, diplomatic engagement with Bangkok does not permit us to come into the picture, notably in providing humanitarian assistance to the Muslims there.
On September 8, PM Najib met with his Thai counterpart Yingluck Shinawatra, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting held in Vladivostok, Russia. Najib assured Yingluck that Malaysia would cooperate fully in solving problems related to the insurgency and said that he was satisfied with Thailand's policies towards the restive region.
Despite these diplomatic niceties, the two countries have a conflicted history over Thailand's predominantly Malay Muslim southernmost provinces. In the 1960s and 1970s, for instance, Malaysia was complicit in providing assistance to separatist groups fighting against Thai rule.
While we deny any involvement with the separatist groups, it goes by tradition that the borders between Thailand and Perlis, Perak, Kedah and Kelantan share a lot of common when it comes to people-to-people relations.
It is a sensitive issue.
When the separatist insurgency began to resurface in 2001, Thai authorities hoped for cooperation with their Malaysian counterparts to track down separatist figures based in Malaysia, end the use of dual nationality to tighten border security, and clamp down on smuggled goods, particularly oil and narcotics.
A bilateral border agreement signed in 2000 that focused on combating criminality and promoting cooperation in areas of socioeconomic development initially signaled a new era of bilateral cooperation, but Malaysian assistance dwindled as the insurgency intensified.
Thaksin aggravated relations further when he repeatedly criticized Malaysia's position, including its treatment of Malay Muslims who crossed the border into Malaysia from Thai conflict areas as refugees.
On the day Malaysia celebrated Merdeka on Aug 31, the Muslims in southern Thailandhoisted Malaysian flags everywhere in the region - Pattani, Narathiwat, Yala and Songkhla.
It was perceived as a stark reminder that Malaysia will need to play a significant complementary role if the unprecedented levels of violence that have engulfed the historically restive ethnic minority region since early 2004 are to be subdued.
While it marked the anniversary of Malaysia's independence, it also symbolised the founding of Bersatu, a separatist umbrella group established in 1989.
Thai officials said soon after the incidents that insurgents were trying to spark a conflict between Thailand and Malaysia. Other sources with access to the movement, however, suggested that the incidents underscored a longstanding desire among many in the shadowy separatist movement for Malaysia to play an intermediary role in a negotiated peace process with the Thai government.
However, the issue is far too delicate. Malaysia, in avoiding Thai allegation of interfering in its internal matters and distant itself from the conflict, has somehow given the Thai Muslims a 'soft permitting' to enter and stay in the country.
The Immigration Department did not 'disturb' the Thais - close to one million of them - who work, study and doing their 'tomyam' business in Malaysia. Under the 6P program, they were 'excused'.
However, both countries should continue engagement on the issue before the conflict crosses the border. While showing great concern and sympathy towards the Muslims in southern Thailand, we could at least work within the diplomatic conduct to secure a more stable and war-free zone in the region.
Developing the region within the scope of Malaysia-Thai Border Authority is still the best option to bring about progress and peace at the border. The immigration from both sides must also work on a formula to control the passing in and out by people from both sides. If we can do that with Singapore, we can also have it with Thailand.
After all, we are two separate nations!
Malaysia, as usual, views the development within the scope of our border security with Thailand. However, diplomatic engagement with Bangkok does not permit us to come into the picture, notably in providing humanitarian assistance to the Muslims there.
On September 8, PM Najib met with his Thai counterpart Yingluck Shinawatra, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting held in Vladivostok, Russia. Najib assured Yingluck that Malaysia would cooperate fully in solving problems related to the insurgency and said that he was satisfied with Thailand's policies towards the restive region.
Despite these diplomatic niceties, the two countries have a conflicted history over Thailand's predominantly Malay Muslim southernmost provinces. In the 1960s and 1970s, for instance, Malaysia was complicit in providing assistance to separatist groups fighting against Thai rule.
While we deny any involvement with the separatist groups, it goes by tradition that the borders between Thailand and Perlis, Perak, Kedah and Kelantan share a lot of common when it comes to people-to-people relations.
It is a sensitive issue.
When the separatist insurgency began to resurface in 2001, Thai authorities hoped for cooperation with their Malaysian counterparts to track down separatist figures based in Malaysia, end the use of dual nationality to tighten border security, and clamp down on smuggled goods, particularly oil and narcotics.
A bilateral border agreement signed in 2000 that focused on combating criminality and promoting cooperation in areas of socioeconomic development initially signaled a new era of bilateral cooperation, but Malaysian assistance dwindled as the insurgency intensified.
Thaksin aggravated relations further when he repeatedly criticized Malaysia's position, including its treatment of Malay Muslims who crossed the border into Malaysia from Thai conflict areas as refugees.
On the day Malaysia celebrated Merdeka on Aug 31, the Muslims in southern Thailandhoisted Malaysian flags everywhere in the region - Pattani, Narathiwat, Yala and Songkhla.
It was perceived as a stark reminder that Malaysia will need to play a significant complementary role if the unprecedented levels of violence that have engulfed the historically restive ethnic minority region since early 2004 are to be subdued.
While it marked the anniversary of Malaysia's independence, it also symbolised the founding of Bersatu, a separatist umbrella group established in 1989.
Thai officials said soon after the incidents that insurgents were trying to spark a conflict between Thailand and Malaysia. Other sources with access to the movement, however, suggested that the incidents underscored a longstanding desire among many in the shadowy separatist movement for Malaysia to play an intermediary role in a negotiated peace process with the Thai government.
However, the issue is far too delicate. Malaysia, in avoiding Thai allegation of interfering in its internal matters and distant itself from the conflict, has somehow given the Thai Muslims a 'soft permitting' to enter and stay in the country.
The Immigration Department did not 'disturb' the Thais - close to one million of them - who work, study and doing their 'tomyam' business in Malaysia. Under the 6P program, they were 'excused'.
However, both countries should continue engagement on the issue before the conflict crosses the border. While showing great concern and sympathy towards the Muslims in southern Thailand, we could at least work within the diplomatic conduct to secure a more stable and war-free zone in the region.
Developing the region within the scope of Malaysia-Thai Border Authority is still the best option to bring about progress and peace at the border. The immigration from both sides must also work on a formula to control the passing in and out by people from both sides. If we can do that with Singapore, we can also have it with Thailand.
After all, we are two separate nations!
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