KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3: Southeast Asian lawmakers want Myanmar expelled from the ASEAN regional grouping unless it frees democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners within a year, Malaysia’s state media said on Saturday.

Asean was making a great error by not forcing Myanmar’s government to fulfil its promises of democratic reforms, news agency Bernama quoted Zaid Ibrahim, a Malaysian MP and head of the Asean lawmakers’ group, as saying.

Myanmar said on Saturday it had extended the house arrest of Nobel peace laureate Suu Kyi by another six months. She has already spent about 10 of the last 15 years either in prison or under house arrest.

Zaid, speaking for Asean lawmakers, said Yangon’s military junta had done nothing to introduce reforms in Myanmar.

By expelling Myanmar, Asean would at least erase the stigma attached to the grouping because of Yangon’s membership, said Zaid, a member of Malaysia’s ruling coalition.

The group includes legislators from Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.—Reuters