SAN FRANCISCO, 27 July 2003 — Thailand’s leading Muslim politician said Friday that Mideast Islamic countries lack openness, and called Southeast Asia’s moderate Muslims a progressive example for Islamic societies.
Surin Pitsuwan, leader of Thailand’s Democratic Party and former foreign minister, said the Muslim societies of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia had generally avoided the radical Islamic extremism of the Middle East because they were more open and democratic.
At the same time, he cautioned the United States not to rush in setting up a democratic political system in Iraq, saying the country was unprepared after years under Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship.
Surin spoke at a luncheon sponsored by the Asia Foundation. Former World Bank president James Wolfensohn attended.
Southeast Asia’s Muslims are in the vanguard of global Islam, he said. The region has more than 230 million Muslims, including over 200 million in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim population. Malaysia, meanwhile, is one of the most economically advanced Islamic countries.
Extremists engaging in terrorism in the region, including kidnappings in the southern Philippines and the bombing of a disco in Bali, Indonesia last October, have earned much more attention than they deserve.
“The extremists steal the show” in Southeast Asia, he said, adding that they enjoy little popular support.
Surin said Muslims need to be able to practice their religion in a free and democratic environment. “The demand to live in an open society is there in all Muslims,” he said.
