LEAD: ASEAN reaction mixed on Myanmar decision to keep Suu Kyi in detention+

MANILA, Aug. 11 Kyodo -
(EDS: UPDATING WITH INDONESIA REACTION, 5TH-6TH GRAFS)
Southeast Asian countries showed mixed reactions Tuesday ranging from
condemnation by the Philippines to milder disappointment by Singapore to the
renewed house detention of Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi after a
court convicted her of violating the terms of her house arrest.

The Philippine government denounced the court ruling as ''incomprehensible and
deplorable'' and renewed its call for Suu Kyi's ''immediate and unconditional
release.''
In Singapore, the Foreign Ministry commended Myanmar's generals for reducing
Suu Kyi's jail sentence and choosing to put her under house arrest instead of
keeping her in jail.
Malaysia expressed ''deep disappointment'' over the renewed incarceration of
Suu Kyi and pressed for ASEAN member countries to discuss the court verdict.
In Jakarta, Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said the Indonesian
government is ''strongly disappointed'' with the court verdict.
The sentence ''has created an impression that the Myanmarese government wants
to effectively avoid the participation of Aung San Suu Kyi in next year's
election (planned in Myanmar),'' Faizasyah said.
Earlier in the day, the court sentenced Suu Kyi to three years in prison for
breaching the terms of her house arrest after an uninvited American swam to her
lakeside house in Yangon in May and stayed there for two days.
Junta leader Sr. Gen. Than Shwe intervened even before the court decision was
announced, telling the country's home minister to halve whatever sentence was
handed down and then suspend it, leaving Suu Kyi under house arrest.
In Manila, Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo said the ruling is meant
to keep Suu Kyi under house arrest ahead of the general election Myanmar has
planned for next year.
''They don't want her to be out before the election obviously,'' Romulo told
reporters.
''This new ruling places doubt on the commitment of the government of Myanmar
to hold free, fair, participatory, transparent, and credible elections in
2010,'' Romulo added in a statement.
The Singaporean Foreign Ministry, while expressing disappointment at the guilty
verdict, lauded Myanmar's generals for taking steps to ensure her well-being,
such as allowing her to see medical personnel, keep contact with party members,
gain access to news materials and receive visitors.
''These are significant gestures by the Myanmar government,'' the ministry said
in a statement, adding it is ''happy that the Myanmar government has exercised
its sovereign prerogative to grant amnesty for halving her sentence and that
she will be placed under house arrest rather than imprisoned.''
Singapore has friendly ties with Myanmar and has often taken the stance that it
should not be ostracized from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian
Nations, of which it is a part.
In Bangkok, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya declined to comment on the
verdict against Suu Kyi.
Kasit said he needs to thoroughly study the verdict and consult with ASEAN
counterparts before any comments can be made as the current chair of ASEAN.
In addition to Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines and Myanmar, ASEAN also
includes Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Cambodia.
In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said the Malaysian
government will discuss developments in Myanmar with ASEAN members and urged
the junta to release all political detainees to enable them to participate in
next year's general election.
''The government of Myanmar should show its strong commitment toward the
national reconciliation and democratization process,'' Anifah said in a
statement.
==Kyodo