Is Malaysia Protecting Thai Insurgents?

From Bangkok Post, Breaking News

The government of Malaysia knows that extremists from southern Thailand have crossed the border to take refuge in Malaysia, media reported from that country on Wednesday.

Last week, Thai authorities said three insurgents had fled into Malaysia to try to hide among either extremist sympathisers or the general Malaysian population.

The New Straits Times quoted "sources" in the border town of Kota Baru as saying authorities "are aware of the presence of several suspected Thai militants" in the upper east coast provinces of Kelantan and Terengganu.

Both provinces have many residents who are sympathetic to the separatist demands of the Thailand-based insurgents and terrorists.

"Sources said the authorities had been monitoring these groups for the past few years but had yet to take any action against them as they were living here legitimately and had not committed any offence," said the national newspaper.

"The men are also believed to have dual identity cards."

Earlier reports said three religious teachers known as ustaz and four other Thai men had fled to Malaysia to escape arrest in connection with a series of bombings in the deep South.

"Kelantan police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi declined to comment on the matter, saying that it was a sensitive issue," according to the reports on Wednesday.

***** The unsaid implication of the above report is that Malaysia is stirring shit in Thailand by siding with terrorists. As a fellow ASEAN member could we possibly be participating in such an unneighbourly act? Let's not forget that we are a 'model Islamic nation' which had never encouraged or had a hand in spreading terrorism. Or have we?
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