Hun Sen meets with Malaysian ex-PM [-Meeting of the dictators?]

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 3 (Xinhua)-- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen met with Malaysian former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday in Phnom Penh to talk on Muslim community in Cambodia, a spokesman for Hun Sen said.

Following the meeting, Eang Sophallet, spokesman for Hun Sen told reporters that Mahathir, who is on a two-day visit to Cambodia, had told Hun Sen that his mission this time was to help Cambodian Muslim community in his capacity as a president of the Muslim Healthcare Community in Malaysia.

Mahathir's visit was made two weeks after a Cambodian Muslim community in the northern outskirts of Phnom Penh -- suffered fire that destroyed hundreds of houses.

Muslim minority in Cambodia, known as Cham are making up some 4percent of the total country's population of 14 million people.

During the talks, Mahathir commended Hun Sen's leadership that has led the country into harmonious society with no discrimination to any races.

Also, during the talks, Hun Sen suggested Malaysia open more markets for Cambodian rice production.