MECCA, Saudi Arabia – Prime Minister Najib Razak said Malaysia will push the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) to take serious action to help war-torn Syria during the OIC Extraordinary Summit that begins in Mecca on Tuesday (August 14th), local media reported.

"The OIC should take positive and sterner steps to save Syria and not take political measures only," Najib told Malaysian journalists, according to Bernama.

OIC secretary-general Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu told AFP Syria wouldn't be represented at the two-day summit of the 57-member organisation.

A recommendation was made to expel Syria from the OIC during a preparatory meeting of senior officials Sunday, The Malaysian Star reported. Syrian officials were not invited to that meeting either.

The action would follow that of the Arab League, which voted to expel Syria in November. More than 21,000 people have been killed in the civil war that has now lasted 17 months.

The Star reported the fate of Burma's Rohingya people would also be discussed at the summit. Many nations called for strong condemnation and swift action but Malaysia, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Brunei suggested engaging Burma after it expressed willingness to co-operate with the OIC.