Malaysia to monitor developments in Palestine together with OIC, Arab League - Anwar

DENGKIL - Malaysia will continue to collaborate with the Arab League and the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to monitor developments in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.

"We are currently cooperating with the OIC and the Arab League, and there are daily discussions on current developments.

"However, the priority is mostly humanitarian (efforts) and stopping the attacks. That's the priority of Islamic countries,” he told newsmen after his lunch at Ramli Corner Selera Kampong here today.

The prime minister was asked whether Malaysia, along with the OIC and the Arab League, would boycott the United Nations (UN) following the UN Security Council's (UNSC) decision to reject a resolution proposed by Russia that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Malaysia also stands firm on its position that the rights of the Palestinian people must be restored, even though the UNSC failed to reach a decision on stopping the war, Anwar said.

"We don't care about other decisions. But our position is that the rights of the Palestinian people must be respected. It's about their land, their property, their dignity, and, most urgently, stopping the attacks and providing humanitarian aid. That's our current priority.

"We continue to maintain relationships and take action together (with the OIC and the Arab League), but when it comes to humanitarian assistance, food, medicine, we expedite that. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt has assured that when humanitarian aid arrives from the (Malaysian) government, he will expedite its landing in Rafah,” he said.

At the UNSC meeting regarding the conflict in the Palestinian region, the UN reported that the failure to adopt Russia’s proposed resolution was due to it not garnering the support of at least nine UNSC member states.

During the vote, the resolution was only accepted by four member states: Russia (proposer), China, Gabon and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The resolution was rejected by the United States and the United Kingdom, while nine member states decided to abstain. They were Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, France, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland.

Commenting on the ‘Minggu Solidariti Palestin’ (Palestine Solidarity Week) in schools and allegations that children were carrying toy guns during the programme, Anwar said that such matters need to be controlled.

"We discussed this in the Cabinet meeting earlier today. First, we encourage the organisation of such programmes, but we won't force all schools to participate. Secondly, we need to ensure that it doesn't become a problem,” he said.

Regarding allegations by a local company that the price of rice in Malaysia was still high due to monopoly by Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas), Anwar said that, so far, the government has been able to ensure that the price of rice imported by Bernas remains controlled and followed global prices. - BERNAMA