Kuala Lumpur, July 21: Myanmar's ruling junta needs to free pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi soon or risk a crisis that could lead to its expulsion from the association of southeast Asian nations, Malaysia's foreign minister said today. "Whether ASEAN is willing to take that step is something _ we have to see what Myanmar does during this period," Foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar said in an interview. "The crucial thing is releasing Suu Kyi."
International pressure is building on ASEAN to overcome its tradition of non-interference in the affairs of member states and get tough with the military government to release the Nobel peace prize winner, Syed Hamid said.
Malaysia was a solid supporter of bringing Myanmar into the grouping in 1997, ignoring protests from human rights groups and the United States and contending that so-called constructive engagement would get the generals to relax their grip on power.
But the arrest of Suu Kyi after an unknown number of her supporters were killed in a clash with a pro-government militia on may 30 has deeply shaken faith in the process. An ASEAN foreign ministers' summit took the unprecedented step last month of telling Myanmar to free her.

Malaysia fears ``the possible expulsion of Myanmar if they fail to go along with what is generally the accepted views of not only the international community, but among asean," Syed Hamid told the associated press.

Bureau Report.