PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s stance on Palestine remains unchanged, with the country continuing to uphold Palestine’s right to exist as an independent and sovereign state, said Madani government spokesperson Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.
The Communications Minister confirmed that the Cabinet had been briefed by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan on the Palestinian issue, following a recent United Nations (UN) high-level conference coordinated by Saudi Arabia and France.
"Our Permanent Representative to the UN was asked to review and sign a joint declaration, but the government decided that more time is needed to study (the document).
"At this point, Malaysia’s stance on Palestine has not changed. Our stance is clear. Palestine has the right to exist as a state. We are not looking at any other matters beyond that,” he said at a press conference following the Cabinet meeting on Friday (Aug 1).
Fahmi was responding to reports that Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt were among 17 countries, along with the United Kingdom, France, and Canada, that signed a declaration urging Hamas to disarm and relinquish its governance over Gaza.
The joint declaration, issued after the UN high-level conference, condemned the Oct 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages.
It also urged Hamas to hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority as part of a two-state solution framework.
Fahmi said Wisma Putra has been given time to review the declaration in full, and the Cabinet has also requested the Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan to deliver a Ministerial Statement in Parliament early next week to provide further clarity.
"That will likely take place between Monday and Wednesday. I believe the minister (Mohamad) will provide a more detailed explanation then, but the government’s stance remains unchanged,” he said. — Bernama
