THE 127 Palestinians brought to Malaysia for medical treatment from their war-torn homeland is an act of compassion and kindness, a group of non-governmental organisations, civil society members (CSOs) and politicians said in defence of the government's decision to fly them in.
Forty-one of them are reportedly “chronically ill patients,” while the other 86 are their immediate family members accompanying them.
The CSOs and individuals, expressed grave concern over the reactions of some members of the public to the decision, emphasised that these Palestinians “have endured the horrors of bombing and deprivation in Gaza, suffering unimaginable trauma.”
“Some also have severe physical injuries,” they added, citing the ongoing Hamas–Israel war's death toll, which they put at over “40,000 deaths, with thousands more injured and displaced.”
“As a responsible member of the international community, Malaysia has a moral and legal obligation to do all in its power and capacity to assist innocent civilians in conflict areas. In fact, we believe the government can and should do more to help Palestinian refugees,” they said in a joint statement.
They expressed dismay at the negative reactions from some Malaysians to the government’s decision “to provide some small reprieve from the ongoing genocide and destruction of their homes.”
The group also pointed out that the number brought in was small compared to those still facing death and destruction in their homeland.
Urging all Malaysians to put aside their prejudices and focus on the humanitarian issue, they highlighted the moral imperative for Malaysians to act with compassion towards fellow human beings who suffer through no fault of their own.
“This transcends all our differences because it recognises the right of every human being to live in dignity and free from fear.” – August 22, 2024.
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