Asian Lawmakers Call for Pressure on Burma

3 Apr (VOA) -  Lawmakers from Philippines and Singapore are asking regional counterparts to increase pressure on Burma's military regime to free opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The appeal came at a meeting Sunday of the Inter Parliamentary Union in Manila. Meantime, a Malaysian lawmaker Zaid Ibrahim says he is leading efforts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to win the release of the jailed Burmese opposition leader.   He says he will press for debate in coming weeks on a motion to criticize Burma's record on human rights.

Last week, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told Burma it may have to give up its turn as chairman of the ASEAN group, unless it makes good on promised reforms. Burma is set to take over the leadership of the 10-nation bloc in 2006.[Information for this report is provided by Reuters and AFP.]