KUALA LUMPUR – Despite not agreeing to “each and every word”, Malaysia voted in favour of the “Aggression against Ukraine” resolution at yesterday’s emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly.
In a statement today, Wisma Putra said the resolution received 141 affirmative votes, five dissenting votes, and 35 abstentions.
It added that while Malaysia may not have agreed to each and every word in the resolution, it still supported and voted in favour of Ukraine.
This is in line with the country’s long-standing position on the need to uphold the principles of sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of nations.
“Malaysia believes that the differences and legitimate security concerns of both parties, given the complex geopolitical context, must be addressed through dialogue and peaceful means.
“As such, Malaysia welcomes the direct talks held between Russia and Ukraine in Belarus and hopes that such peaceful talks will lead to a successful outcome.
“Malaysia will continue to support international endeavours to seek a peaceful and amicable solution to the conflict in the interest of maintaining regional and international peace and security.”
It added that it had called on the UN Security Council to continue its efforts in resolving the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, emphasising the need for the council to observe its primary responsibility as the custodian of international peace and security.
Yesterday, a parliamentary special select committee had urged Malaysia to vote in favour of Ukraine.
The committee, headed by Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub (Pulai), said the vote from the nation will convey support for the embattled country, international human rights laws, the Minsk Agreement, and the principles of the UN charter.
Reuters reported that Russia was joined by Belarus, which has served as a launchpad for Russian invasion forces, Eritrea, North Korea, and Syria in voting against the resolution while China was among the countries that had abstained.
The resolution is intended to be a strong condemnation of Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine while demanding Moscow stop the attacks and withdraw its military forces, an action that aims to diplomatically isolate Russia at the world body.
However, Ukrainian forces continue to battle to defend the port of Kherson from air strikes and a destructive bombing that forced hundreds of thousands of citizens to flee.
As of now, Ukraine said more than 350 civilians, including 14 children, have been killed in the conflict. – The Vibes, March 3, 2022
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