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From: AFP
Date: 07 May 1999
Time: 06:27:44
The two countries' foreign ministers will try to build up what was severed after Mahathir's displeasure over Azizah's meeting with Estrada
MANILA -- The Philippines and Malaysia are seeking to repair the damage in their relations following a spat over Philippine President Joseph Estrada's meeting with Malaysian opposition leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, officials said yesterday. Philippine Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon said Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar suggested to "let's do something to improve relations", when the two met in Hanoi last week during the admission of Cambodia to Asean.
He said the proposal was general in nature, but gave assurances that there would soon be some effects.
In a separate development, the presidential palace in Manila said it was recommending the dismissal of an in-house photographer who released a photograph of Mr Estrada's meeting with Dr Azizah.
Dr Azizah, the wife of detained former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, visited the country last week and on Thursday, held a private meeting with Mr Estrada, who has previously expressed concern over Anwar's situation.
The visit angered Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has been a target of Dr Azizah's criticism throughout the trip.
On Sunday, Datuk Syed Hamid, in making known Kuala Lumpur's displeasure over the trip, said that the meeting was tantamount to interference in Malaysia's political affairs.
The meeting was opposed to the spirit of mutual cooperation among Asean member countries, which did not interfere in the affairs of member nations, he said.
He said Mr Siazon had told him in Hanoi that Dr Azizah's trip was a private visit and that Manila had nothing to do with it.
But he noted that her Manila speech was political. Dr Azizah is Parti Keadilan Nasional president.
He said he regretted her move to drag a foreign country into Malaysia's problems.
He also said it was unreasonable and untrue to say that the system in Malaysia was the same as the Philippines' under its former President, the late Ferdinand Marcos. --