MALAYSIA'S RESOLUTE STAND ON PALESTINIAN ISSUE MAINTAINED -- MALAYSIAN AMBASSADOR TO TURKIYE

By Muhammad Hafizuddin Mohd Yusof

ISTANBUL, April 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's stance on the issue of Israeli regime’s atrocities against the population in Gaza remains firm under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

According to the Malaysian Ambassador to Turkiye, Sazali Mustafa Kamal, this matter is evident based on the Prime Minister's continuous interaction on the issue with several world leaders.

"Our Prime Minister has interacted with various heads of state, including the President of the United States (Joe Biden), urging him to press Israel to immediately stop this violence.

"I think that's the highest motivation we have, and I think we all support that motivation," he said at a meeting with the Malaysian delegation participating in the "Break the Siege of Gaza Freedom Flotilla" mission in Istanbul, Turkiye, on Sunday.

Furthermore, Sazali said Turkiye's role under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also in line with Malaysia's stance in addressing this issue.

However, the agreement of major world leaders is also crucial because many leaders of major powers continue to 'turn a blind eye' to the issue.

"Their stance is the same as that of the Malaysian government and other countries supporting sovereignty for the Palestinian people, (that is for) violence (to) stop immediately.

"He (Erdogan) has also never stopped advocating for efforts to stop the violence and allow humanitarian aid channels to be supplied and delivered to the Palestinian people in Gaza.

"The biggest problem, however, is the major powers that often protect the Israeli regime and provide them with motivation to continue the violence," he added.

Sazali said this in response to a call from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) Steering Committee, Ann Wright, who urges world leaders to express unanimous support for the successful completion of the Break the Siege of Gaza Freedom Flotilla mission.

She said that this is because the support and cooperation of world leaders are important in ensuring that the Israeli regime's atrocities against the population in Gaza can be stopped immediately.

Furthermore, she said that with the unity of all world leaders, it is seen as capable of pressing for a concerted effort to achieve a lasting ceasefire to enable the planning of all humanitarian aid distribution needs to Gaza.

The Malaysian delegation is currently joining the international civil society in sailing on a flotilla to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip by sea due to the dire humanitarian situation in the region.

They consist of doctors, humanitarian activists, and media practitioners.

Among the Malaysian media practitioners joining the flotilla are writer and broadcast journalist from the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Muhammad Hafizuddin Mohd Yusof and Bernama TV cameraman Mohammad Nulhakim Jailan.

Activists from 30 countries, including Malaysia, have gathered in Istanbul since April 18 for final preparations for the "Break the Siege: Freedom Flotilla Mission to Gaza 2024" mission.

The FFC has previously confirmed that three ships involved in this humanitarian mission are expected to begin their voyage on Wednesday (April 24).

-- BERNAMA