KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim faced a heated debate in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday as he defended his recent remarks on Israel, calling for contextual understanding amid accusations from the opposition.
Addressing the uproar during his first day back in Parliament after returning to Malaysia on Wednesday (Nov 20), Anwar clarified that his comments on Israel in a CNN interview had been misunderstood.
He reaffirmed Malaysia’s long-standing stance of non-recognition of Israel, tracing it back to the era of former prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman.
“In the context of the United Nations, Israel is considered a de facto state. However, Malaysia has never recognised it. From the time of Tunku Abdul Rahman until today, we do not recognise Israel,” Anwar told the Dewan Rakyat.
Anwar added that while de facto states are recognised under international law as having the right to self-defence, Malaysia’s position on Israel remains steadfast.
“I have always been firm and critical of Israel, even describing them as barbaric, cruel, and violent.
“How can anyone accuse me of defending Israel with such strong words?” he said.
The Prime Minister criticised those politicising his remarks, highlighting that previous governments had allowed Israeli aircraft and trade vessels to access Malaysian airspace and ports.
“Up until 2022, Israeli trade ships entered our ports, yet no one questioned this reality,” he said.
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin congratulated Anwar on continuing Malaysia’s stance on Palestine but urged unity.
“Don’t let minor disagreements among us lead to division,” Hamzah said.
However, tensions rose when Paya Besar MP Datuk Shahar Abdullah called for fairness in assessing the Prime Minister’s statements.
“We must look at the full frame of the picture,” Shahar said, defending Anwar’s appeal for contextual understanding.
Hamzah, in a sarcastic retort, cautioned against posturing. “Don’t try to be a hero or act like you want to be a minister by speaking like this,” he quipped.
Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul then told both MPs to stop the exchange and move on to their questions.
Anwar then reiterated the need to focus on the plight of Palestinians, condemning the suffering inflicted upon them.
“The situation in Palestine is unbearable. While we argue here, there seems to be no hope for resolution there,” he said.
In response to Shahar’s question regarding the cost implications of his recent overseas trips, Anwar said that the government had significantly reduced expenses this time.
Responding to the query, Anwar highlighted a new strategy implemented by his government to minimise expenses during such visits.
The Prime Minister explained that the initiative involved collaboration with key Malaysian companies.
“This time, the government, through cooperation with the Investment, Trade, and Industry Ministry (MITI), invited companies like Petronas, Sapura, Proton, and semiconductor firms to join our delegation,” Anwar said.
He said the companies bore a significant portion of the travel costs.
“They paid for their flight expenses, which means they covered about 75% of our overseas travel costs.
“The government supports these companies in either importing or exporting, and they, in turn, assist with the travel expenditure,” he said.
Anwar added that while the exact figures are not yet available as the delegation had only returned on Wednesday (Nov 20), preliminary estimates suggest that around 75% of the trip’s costs were borne by these participating companies.
