BRITISH political veteran George Galloway has described Palestinians as among the most brutally oppressed people in the world, insisting that conditions in Malaysia bear no resemblance to the reality faced by Palestinians living under Israeli occupation.
Responding to a controversial question from a local news portal journalist during a public lecture titled Gaza Exposes the Complicity of International Actors on January 12, Galloway firmly rejected comparisons between the Palestinian cause and the situation of Malaysia’s Chinese community, calling such parallels exaggerated and misplaced.
“I haven’t been all over Kuala Lumpur today, but I didn’t see any tanks.
“I didn’t see guns. I didn’t see military trucks. I didn’t see segregated roads.
“I didn’t see anything that you described. Perhaps I missed something. I am not an expert on the issue you raised,” he said, according to a video clip of the exchange uploaded on Facebook.
Galloway was responding to a question that suggested similarities between the Palestinian struggle and the position of ethnic Chinese in Malaysia, while also alleging that some local pro-Palestinian supporters hold anti-immigrant views.
The question further implied that both situations stemmed from British colonial legacies and shared elements of xenophobia and exclusive nationalism.
Rejecting the premise, Galloway said he did not observe systemic oppression in Malaysia comparable to apartheid, adding that the Chinese community appeared to be thriving.
“As far as I can see, the Chinese community is doing well in Malaysia because of their hard work and business expertise. Chinese people succeed everywhere, including in China,” he said.
Galloway, a former Labour MP for Rochdale, also addressed suggestions that his views were shaped by nationalism or xenophobia, stating that such accusations were unfounded.
“I hate nationalism. I am the last person who could be accused of being sinophobic or xenophobic. Nobody could be more pro-China than me,” he said, adding that he spends much of his time living and working in China.
He said equating Malaysia with an apartheid-like society such as that experienced by Palestinians was regrettable and “quite embarrassing”.
Meanwhile, the news portal involved has issued a public apology and said disciplinary action has been taken against the journalist following an internal investigation into the incident. - January 15, 2026
