KUALA LUMPUR: Aiding the rebuilding of Gaza is not placing international plight over Malaysians’ needs, says Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
He said that the involvement of Malaysia in the humanitarian effort was a commitment to the country’s long-standing support for the Palestinians and something Malaysians should be proud of.
“This is our international responsibility as Malaysia has been among the earliest countries that had been against the Zionist regime.
“We’re proud to be a part of group efforts with Japan and South Korea that had asked Malaysia to co-chair the Conference on Cooperation Among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (Ceapad),” he said in response to Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (PH-Ledang) in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Feb 4).
Syed Ibrahim had earlier asked the ministry to state Malaysia’s latest actions for the liberation of Palestine.
Mohamad said that following recommendations, Ceapad will be held around March or April, instead of in July.
"This is an honour for us. Rebuilding Gaza (on our own) is not easy and not cheap. But we will bring like-minded countries and bring countries from the southern block together.
"Many like-minded countries from the West have already stated that they want this to be done and we are taking this opportunity to be part of the joint chairmanship between Malaysia and Japan,” he added.
Ceapad is a regional platform initiated by Japan in 2013 to support Palestinian state-building efforts by leveraging the resources, knowledge, and economic development experiences of East Asian nations.
The most recent Ceapad Working-Level Meeting on July 18, 2024, reaffirmed the urgent need for greater coordination in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the importance of long-term recovery and reconstruction alongside governance reforms to ensure sustainable development for Palestine.
