PM: US putting pressure on M’sia

A firm stance: Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, during the Dewan Rakyat session at the Parliament. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: The United States had tried to exert pressure on Malaysia over its stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict on at least three occasions, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“The Malaysian envoy to the United States was called by American authorities who questioned our stance on the conflict, especially the violence inflicted by Israel on Gaza.

“Our ambassador firmly stated our position,” he said during Prime Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat here yesterday. He said this came about because Malaysia refused to condemn Hamas’ actions and brand the group as terrorists.

“I was informed by the Foreign Ministry that Malaysia received a demarche from the US Embassy on Oct 13,” said the Prime Minister.A demarche is a formal diplomatic representation (diplomatic correspondence) of the official position or views on a subject from one government to another.

On Oct 30, Malaysia was asked by a US Embassy official to use diplomatic channels to urge a country to not take advantage of the conflict by using a proxy to get involved in the conflict in Gaza. While he did not specify the country, it is believed the country being referred to by the US was Iran.Anwar reiterated the country’s independent stance, saying that Malaysia will remain firm in its humanitarian considerations and condemn Israel’s unlawful occupation of Palestine. He said while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was condemned, the same was not done in the Israeli occupation of Palestine, especially by countries such as the United States, although it had gone on for many years.

In his speech at the Malaysia for Palestine Rally last week, Anwar said Malaysia had received criticism from pro-Israel countries, particularly the United States, for sympathising with Gaza and the Palestinians.

On whether Malaysia will boycott the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Economic Leaders’ Week in San Francisco in November, Anwar said the decision will be in line with that of its regional partners.

“We are looking into it. We have contacted Asean and China on their position, and will make a decision based on the position of our friends,” he said as he responded to Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, the Perikatan Nasional MP for Machang, who asked if Malaysia planned to boycott Apec as a mark of solidarity with Palestine.

At a press conference later, Wan Ahmad Fayshal said it was inaccurate to equate the United States’ inquiry on Malaysia’s official stand on the Israel-Palestine conflict as “a threat”, adding that a demarche is a normal practice in diplomacy.

“The term ‘threat’ is serious. It meant an intimidation to the country. This was why we asked in the Dewan Rakyat, to which Prime Minister said it was a demarche instead,” he told reporters at Parliament yesterday.