KUALA LUMPUR – An MP in the Dewan Rakyat today urged the government to reveal the countries that have threatened and laid pressure on Malaysia's prime minister following the government's assertiveness in standing up for the Palestinian people in the current Middle East conflict.
Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas) said that he and his colleagues are not willing to see Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim being pressured and threatened over the matter. He suggested that a protest note be sent to the embassies of the countries in question.
"When we heard the prime minister stating that he had received threats, warnings, pressure and so on, I thought that the minister should reveal which country has dared to pressure and threaten our beloved prime minister.
"We cannot bear to see our prime minister pressured and threatened like this," he was quoted as saying by Berita Harian.
"If they dare to put pressure on our prime minister, Malaysia should send a protest note to their embassies in our country," he said.
Fadhli said this while presenting supplementary questions during ministererial question-and-answer session in Parliament today.
Anwar had made the claim while delivering his special message at the 'Malaysia Stands With Palestine' gathering at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday night.
He said that he received “many threats” from foreign countries over Malaysia’s resolve in backing the Palestinian cause.
“I received many threats…I said, ‘You chose the wrong person.’
“As long as I have the rakyat’s mandate, I will not back down and simply be intimidated like that,” he said.
Anwar also lambasted the United States’ apparent double standards in only condemning Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and turning a blind eye against the Palestinians’ suffering, and in fact publicly siding with Israel in the matter.
He took umbrage with the support from Europe and the US that he said has emboldened Israel’s actions in striking at Gaza.
In his response to Fadhli in the house today, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir did not name the countries that allegedly made the threats, but insisted that Malaysia is not intimidated by any such gestures from foreign nations.
"I think it is proper that we do not name who they are in this house," he said. "But as the prime minister has emphasised many times, we are not intimidated by any threats made by them."
Zambry also stressed on the difference in efforts taken by Anwar compared to previous prime ministers on the Palestinian issue.
"I do not deny what our leaders have done before because Malaysia has been known since 1957 as a country that has always fought for the rights and freedom of the Palestinian people.
"Every prime minister has had his role, but in the context of the (current) prime minister, he took a further step to be together with Muslim leaders around the world as well as leaders from non-Muslim countries (in voicing out for Palestinians,)" he said. – The Vibes, October 26, 2023
