PETALING JAYA – The low attendance during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s maiden address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York last week was because many delegates had left the hall, presumably to protest against the previous speaker, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa, who was part of Anwar’s entourage to the UN, disclosed that when Netanyahu started delivering his speech, many left the hall.
But when it was Anwar’s turn to speak, the delegates started to return, she said in a video posted on her TikTok account.
Dr Zaliha was responding to criticism from social media users who had questioned the sparse audience when Anwar delivered his address.
They said this showed that the Malaysian prime minister was not popular abroad, contrary to the image he had painted to Malaysians.
Some also compared the audience last week to the larger one when ex-prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad spoke at the UN.
Defending the low attendance when Anwar delivered his address, Dr Zaliha said that there were many factors that determined the audience size, including the timing of the speech.
“It was a very good speech and Anwar received support and applause not just from Malaysians but from other countries too,” Dr Zaliha said, adding that Malaysians should not make an issue out of the attendance.
She also reiterated that she was proud of the speech delivered by Anwar.
UNGA is the main policymaking organ of the UN, providing a forum for member states to hold multilateral discussions.
The assembly usually meets from September to December each year, where heads of governments of the respective member states will deliver an address.
It is common for member states to protest against certain nations, such as to stage a walkout when leaders from adversarial countries speak at the UNGA.
Israel has been a political lightning rod, especially among Muslim nations due to the former’s atrocities in the Middle East.
Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel. – The Vibes, September 25, 2023
