Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim asserts Malaysia’s unwavering support for Palestine at solidarity rally

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim delivered a resolute message of support for Palestine during a fiery speech at the “Himpunan Malaysia Bersama Palestin” rally held at the Axiata Arena Stadium on 24 Oct.

The rally, hosted by the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim) and Global Peace Malaysia (GPM), saw more than 40 groups, including both Muslims and non-Muslims organisations.

Over 16,000 participants showed up wearing white shirts and holding placards saying “Israel Cuak (Israel is scared)” in show of solidarity with Palestine.

Mr Anwar emphasized Malaysia’s unyielding stance against Israeli aggression in Palestine.

PM Anwar joins Pro-Palestine rally

The Malaysian PM had recently come back from a several-day journey to the Middle East, which was connected to his participation in the first-ever Asean – Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit.

Upon his return to Malaysia, he headed straight to the venue.

He appeared at the event wearing a keffiyeh, a traditional Palestinian attire reminiscent of the one he had donned while addressing the issue of Palestine in Malaysia’s parliament.

The rally was the most recent of several events held in Malaysia to support the Palestinians, and it was the first one Mr. Anwar joined.

In his impassioned address, Prime Minister Anwar condemned any attempts to intimidate or silence Malaysia’s voice on this issue.

He openly acknowledges that certain groups in Europe, the United States, and Israel are criticizing him for his stance in the Palestine-Israel conflict, but he remains unfazed, Bernama reported.

“As long as I am given a mandate by the people, I do not accept threats. We will still fight. Don’t ever dream of threatening us.

“Malaysia is a fiercely independent country. We decide what is right, and we understand the meaning of freedom,” he said during the rally.

He underscored that Malaysians have consistently supported the Palestinian cause and vowed to continue without fear.

“We have our rights to express ourselves. We condemn aggression and remain a sovereign country,” he strongly asserted.

Additionally, security measures for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been heightened because of the multiple threats he has received due to his vocal support for Palestine.

“Palestinians need to be treated as human beings too!”

The Prime Minister highlighted Malaysia’s commitment to promoting respect for all races and religions, encouraging the West to learn from the nation’s example.

He said, “It is Malaysia that the United States of America and Europe must learn from. We talk about humanity, justice, human rights for the Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians. We respect them as they respect us.”

Mr Anwar in his speech, criticized the selective approach of Western countries in defending human rights, particularly in light of the ongoing Palestinian conflict.

He questioned the lack of justice, humanity, and democratic rights in the face of escalating aggression against Palestinians.

“The level of aggression has reached the level of insanity. Women and children are butchered, hospitals and schools have been bombed.

“Where is the justice, humanity, and democratic rights that the West is talking about?

“Palestinians need to be treated as human beings too!” he said.

Malaysia’s diplomatic push

Additionally, he disclosed that Malaysia had taken an unprecedented step in its history by engaging with countries neighboring Palestine to discuss the issue in person.

He stated, “Usually, we only give statements from afar, but this is the first time, seeing the spirit and pulse of Malaysians, I decided to go around the Arab world to express our position.”

He had discussions with leaders from various nations, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, and others.

Egypt, in particular, has committed to assisting Malaysia in distributing humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

Mr Anwar called on Malaysians not to let the Israel-Palestine conflict divide them, emphasizing the importance of unity and defending freedom.

“Don’t play up this issue to be divided. This is the time to be together to strengthen our unity, defend our freedom!” he said.

The rally also drew the attention of foreign embassies in Malaysia, underlining the global significance of the cause.

Malaysia and Indonesia’s strong support for the Palestinian cause

While some Middle Eastern nations have refrained from strong pushback against Israel, two Muslim-majority countries in Southeast Asia, Malaysia and Indonesia, are stepping up to challenge Israel’s narrative and champion the Palestinian cause.

The remaining countries in Asia that do not formally recognize Israel include Brunei, Bangladesh, the Maldives, and Pakistan.

Malaysia and Indonesia are widely recognized for their strong regional support of the Palestinian cause.

In Malaysia, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim recently proposed a government pledge of RM10 million dedicated to providing aid to Palestine.

The Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, has frequently hosted various conferences focused on the challenges faced by Palestinians, such as the International Conference on Palestine Kuala Lumpur and discussions analyzing the Israeli Occupation of Palestine.

Malaysia had also established itself as an academic hub for advancing the Palestinian cause.

Prominent institutions like the University of Malaya, the International Islamic University Malaysia, and the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies maintain a continuous focus on fostering intellectual discussions related to Palestinian issues.

In addition to this, the government had previously extended its support to these initiatives by offering scholarships to Palestinian students.

Indonesia has likewise been vocal in highlighting Israel’s politics of dispossession as a fundamental factor in the ongoing conflict.

Furthermore, as the country with the world’s largest Muslim population, Indonesia has also signed several memorandum of understanding (MOUs) aimed at supporting good governance through capacity-building programs for Palestine.

Over the years, it has consistently allocated substantial financial resources to support these programs and has also offered scholarships for higher education to Palestinian students.