By Linda Khoo & Noor Bakhtiar Ahmad
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- The advice for the 23 Malaysian Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) activists detained in Israel to sign deportation letters has been described by security and international relations experts as a “prudent, lawful, and humanitarian step” that ensured their swift and safe release, and not a “surrender of principle.”
The experts stressed that the GSF mission was never intended to provoke a confrontation, but to deliver a symbolic message of solidarity with Gaza. The deportation move was a practical legal process aimed at protecting Malaysian citizens, consistent with the government’s longstanding policy of prioritising their safety in conflict zones.
“.. the main goal of the Global Sumud Flotilla was never to engage in confrontation, arrests, or fighting with Israel. The primary objective was to send a message to the whole world,” Prof Dr Mohd Mizan Mohamad Aslam of the National Defence University of Malaysia told BERNAMA on Sunday.
Mohd Mizan, who is Senior Lecturer at the Department of International Relations, Security, and Law, said that although the flotilla carried humanitarian supplies such as food, aid packages, and infant formula, the quantity was not significant given the size of the vessel.
“What truly mattered was conveying a message to the international community, especially to the Western powers such as the United States, NATO, and others,” he said.
According to him, the mission aimed to demonstrate that even ordinary citizens could act in solidarity with the people of Gaza despite the ongoing blockade.
“We wanted to show that even as ordinary citizens, just 500 people among eight billion, we could still take action and demonstrate solidarity with the people of Gaza by delivering essential aid.
He said those criticising the Foreign Ministry misunderstand the true purpose of the mission.
“It was never about provoking confrontation; it was about highlighting the dire situation in Gaza and exposing the inhumane actions and cruelty of the Israeli authorities, who continue to impose an illegal blockade restricting land, sea, and air access,” he said.
Mohd Mizan added that once the participants were detained, the immediate priority was to ensure their safety and secure their prompt release.
“The main aim was to deliver the message and complete the mission. Once our citizens were detained, the best course of action was to ensure their release and departure as quickly as possible, without prolonging their stay or risking further abuse or humiliation,” he said.
He said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan had acted wisely and decisively under the circumstances.
“I think the action taken by our foreign minister was the right and timely one.
“We had already achieved the goal, we had reached close to Gaza after enduring over 30 days at sea, facing rough waters, drone threats, and various technical problems. Eventually, we were intercepted and taken to Ashdod by the Israeli forces. That marked the completion of our mission,” he said.
“The next step was to leave the country as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary complications. I believe this was the best and most practical decision under the circumstances,” he added.
Mohd Mizan also noted that preparations had been made well before the flotilla set sail, reflecting thorough planning by Wisma Putra and its partners.
“Wisma Putra, through its legal arm Sentra based in Amman, Jordan, worked closely with our partners from ADALAH, a coalition of lawyers defending human rights and minorities in Egypt and Jordan, to be ready to assist any detainees if arrests occurred, which they eventually did,” he said.
Mohd Mizan said among the most commendable aspects was the proactive communication by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who coordinated directly with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Malaysian diplomats in Ankara to ensure assistance for detained Malaysians.
“Since Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel, Türkiye’s mission in Israel became our vital channel. Turkish lawyers already present in Israel represented both Türkiye and Malaysia, symbolically carrying two flags,” he said.
“Alhamdulillah, it shows that Wisma Putra’s planning was thorough. The strategy involved multiple layers: Sentra providing legal coordination from Amman, ADALAH offering on-ground support, and personal engagement between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and President Erdogan,” he said.
He added that Mohamad also reached out to the United States and ASEAN partners to strengthen Malaysia’s diplomatic efforts.
“He reached out to the Deputy Secretary of the United States and sought cooperation from ASEAN partners with diplomatic ties to Israel, such as Vietnam, as well as other friendly nations to assist Malaysia’s efforts,” he said.
This, he said, demonstrates that the overall strategy and contingency planning had been in place even before the flotilla began its voyage.
Meanwhile, Prof Dr Adam Leong Kok Wey of National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM), said Malaysia’s decision to sign the deportation letter should be viewed as a practical and necessary step to ensure the detainees’ safety.
“The detained Malaysians were treated in the context of 'illegal entry'. Hence, it will be faster and safer to be deported out,” said the Director Centre for Defence and International Security Studies (CDISS).
Adam also stressed that agreeing to deportation should not be seen as an admission of defeat or an abandonment of principle.
He said the objective of the Malaysian GSF detainees was to garner global awareness about the Gaza genocide, which had been met. Malaysia has been actively pursuing various ways to end the Gaza conflict via multilateral and bilateral diplomatic platforms.
Adam said the government’s emphasis on securing the safe return of all detainees was consistent with Malaysia’s longstanding humanitarian and diplomatic approach.
He said the Malaysian government has been steadfast in ensuring the safe return of its citizens from conflict zones.
“The evacuation of Malaysians from Egypt during the Arab Spring is a good example.
“Remember the MH17 tragedy? The priority then was negotiating for the recovery and return of the bodies, rather than blaming who shot the aircraft down,” he said.
The kerfuffle surrounding Foreign Minister Mohamad’s advice for detainees to sign the deportation papers reflects a misunderstanding of what was, in fact, a necessary and well-considered diplomatic move.
The advice formed part of a pre-planned legal strategy carefully coordinated by the operational centre, with support from the ADALAH legal team based in Israel, to ensure the swift and safe release of Malaysian detainees.
“.. This was a success story.
“Congratulations to our brave heroes and heroines who represented 37 million Malaysians, showing the world that despite not having any formal relations or trade with Israel, we stand in unwavering solidarity with Palestine through this humanitarian mission,” said Mohd Mizan with emphasis.
Last Thursday, 23 Malaysian volunteers participating in the GSF mission were detained by the Zionist regime after their vessel was intercepted in the waters of the R3 Red Zone in the Mediterranean Sea before being taken to the port of Ashdod.
All the volunteers were subsequently released. They departed from Ramon Airport at 6.45 pm Malaysian time Saturday and arrived in Istanbul at 8.40 pm Malaysian time.
-- BERNAMA
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