PM holds talks on Gaza conflict

RIYADH: The Palestinian-Israeli conflict was on the agenda of the meeting between Malaysia and the Muslim World League in the Saudi Arabian capital.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim held discussions on the Gaza conflict with Dr Muhammad Abdulkarim Al-Issa, the secretary-general of the Muslim World League, during a visit to the group’s office.

Anwar was accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, Bernama reported.

The leaders discussed the attacks against Palestine as well as the consensus by Muslim countries and scholars regarding the conflict.

They also discussed the issue of dakwah and Islamic education in conjunction with the International Ulama Muzakarah that will be organised in Malaysia in December.

Anwar was in Saudi Arabia to attend the inaugural Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit, which ended on Friday.

During his speech at the summit, Anwar urged the international community to end the brutality and hypocrisy towards the Palestinian people.

He said the international community can no longer turn a blind eye to the atrocities, adding that action must be taken to address the root causes of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Apart from that, Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, proposed for the Asean-GCC Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa) to maximise the economic potential of both regions.

According to him, the relations between Asean and GCC nations have grown by leaps and bounds since the regional blocs first formalised relations in 1990.

Anwar also took time off to meet the family of the late Islamic preacher Sheikh Prof Abdul Hamid Abu Sulayman.

Sheikh Prof Abdul Hamid is the former rector of the International Islamic University Malaysia (UIAM).

Sharing photos of the meeting on Facebook, Anwar said Crisis in the Muslim Mind and Islamisation of Knowledge are among Sheikh Prof Abdul Hamid’s important works.

“The meeting with Faekah (wife of Sheikh Prof Abdul Hamid) and children brought back memories of our family’s old friendship since the 1970s, especially the shared experience of developing UIAM as a higher education institution that has produced many graduates from all over the world,” he said.