THE issue of Palestine transcends Malaysia’s foreign policy; it is a humanitarian, moral, and principled struggle that unites Malaysians across all walks of life, said Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tan Sri Johari Abdul.
“Parliament Malaysia will continue to be a vocal voice at the international level in championing the plight of the Palestinian people who have long been oppressed,” said Johari in a statement, quoting his speech at the recent Meeting of the Parliamentary Union Supporting Palestine, held in Istanbul, Türkiye.
The meeting brought together Speakers and Presidents of Parliaments from around the world in a show of solidarity to support Palestinian rights and reflect a shared international commitment to addressing the prolonged humanitarian crisis.
In his address, Johari reiterated Malaysia’s steadfast support for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He also voiced regret over Israel’s breach of the ceasefire agreement since 18 March, despite it being brokered on 15 January with the mediation of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States.
“Malaysia’s support is neither symbolic nor seasonal, but stems from our moral commitment and a foreign policy rooted in universal justice,” Johari said.
He strongly condemned Israel’s continued assaults on Gaza, labelling them war crimes that violate international law, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
“More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, the majority of whom are women and children,” he noted.
Johari further rejected in the strongest terms any attempts to forcibly relocate or displace Palestinians.
“That is a form of ethnic cleansing, which is utterly unacceptable to the international community,” he stressed.
Malaysia, he added, also condemned the Israeli Knesset’s decision to ban the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in parts of Palestine, calling it an attack on the UN system and a denial of basic rights for over 5.9 million Palestinian refugees who rely on the agency for survival.
“Malaysia fully supports the Gaza reconstruction plan proposed by Egypt and urges the immediate implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions and the decisions of the International Court of Justice,” Johari said.
His official programme in Istanbul began with a courtesy call on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, followed by opening remarks from the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, Prof Dr Numan Kurtulmus, and the Speaker of the Palestinian National Council, Rawhi Fattouh.
In his keynote, Erdogan emphasised the need for unified global action to end the suffering of the Palestinian people, particularly in Gaza.
The meeting also featured a closed-door roundtable session among parliamentary leaders to discuss the group’s future direction, culminating in the adoption of a joint declaration by all participating delegations.
Malaysia’s delegation reaffirmed its commitment to play an active role, including policy coordination and calling for stronger international action.
Johari also attended an official dinner hosted by the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye at the historic Esma Sultan Palace, bringing together heads of delegation and parliamentarians attending the summit, according to the statement. – April 19, 2025
