Kadir Jasin Onus On Pmx To Swiftly State Incarcerated Thaksin S Position As His Asean Advisor

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PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim must make his stand clear on informal ASEAN advisor Thaksin Shinawatra now that the influential former Thai premier has commenced his one-year jail sentence yesterday (Sept 10) after it was ruled that he had improperly served a previous jail term in hospital.
In his latest Facebook status update, veteran journalist and blogger Datuk A. Kadir Jasin has posted the question which could certainly touch a raw nerve of PMX’s Madani backers: “Thaksin Shinawatra has gone to jail. Will he remain the Personal Advisor to the Malaysian Prime Minister?”

According to an AFP wire report, the Thai Supreme Court ruling deals one of the most painful blows yet to Thailand’s biggest political heavyweight as judges ordered the 76-year-old’s transfer to Bangkok Remand Prison.
As per a statement from the country’s Department of Corrections, Thaksin was later transferred to Klong Prem prison where he is expected to serve the rest of his one-year term.
In allaying brickbats hurled at him for enquiring on PMX’s stance, Kadir slammed detractors who treated the serious natter as a joke.
“It could affect not only relations between Malaysia and Thailand but also the credibility of ASEAN,” asserted the National Journalism Laureate.

“According to media reports, Thaksin is Anwar’s personal advisor on ASEAN. Anwar in Malaysia’s Prime Minister and currently ASEAN Chairman. As such, their collaboration is official in nature with ASEAN (as a regional grouping) implicated.”


More specifically, Kadir also cited online information which pointed out that the Thai law does not allow prisoners to be appointed to public office.
“In fact, Thai law disqualifies individuals convicted of crimes and sentenced to imprisonment from holding public office,” revealed the former group editor-in-chief of mainstream New Straits Times.
“Under Section 98(7) of the 2017 Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, a person who has been sentenced by a final judgment to imprisonment is disqualified from being a MP or being appointed to other public office positions.”
Datuk A. Kadir JasinAsked to elaborate if Thaksin’s incarceration matters to Malaysia given its ASEAN 2025 chairmanship will be ending in three months’ time, Kadir who was the former media advisor to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during his second premiership stint told FocusM:

The onus is on PMX to prove that Thaksin’s appointment is beneficial to Malaysia both as the ASEAN chairman and the host country.
As Thaksin’s appointment now contradicts the Thai legislation given that he has been imprisoned, PMX shouldn’t keep quiet but make his stance clear about Thaksin’s role.
Looking back, many regional analysts in the political/diplomatic circles cannot fathom as to what makes Thaksin so special in the eyes of PMX when he (Thaksin) is such a divisive force in both Thai and regional politics.
In fact, it makes better sense to appoint an Indonesian national as an ASEAN advisor given Malaysia and Indonesia have so much in common from language to culture, religion and kinship, to name few common traits. –  Focus Malaysia

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