GOVT MONITORING CLOSELY MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT, POTENTIAL IMPACT ON MALAYSIA -- ANWAR

KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government is closely monitoring developments in the Middle East conflict and the financial market situation, including the potential impact on Malaysia.

“The government will act wisely to strengthen the country's economic and financial stability. The government will also consider any factor that may affect Malaysians,” Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said in a statement posted on Facebook today.

He said the attack launched by Iran was in retaliation to Israel’s barbaric Zionist attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria, recently, in clear violation of international law and order.

“Malaysia is of the opinion that all parties must play a role to ensure that the tensions in the Middle East do not continue to escalate for the sake of universal peace and interests, and all parties must strive to reach a solution by ending the conflict in the region.

“Any solution that is chosen will not be lasting if the violence that is currently happening is not ended immediately," he added.

However, the Prime Minister stated that Malaysia continues to stand firmly with the Palestinian people who continue to suffer from this crisis.

He added that now is the time for all parties to play a role to push for an end to the tensions.

Earlier, the Prime Minister held a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu and top government officials to discuss the latest situation in the Middle East.

The international media reported today that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched drone attacks targeting locations on Israeli territory.

-- BERNAMA