KUALA LUMPUR: The Parliamentary Caucus for Palestine will submit a motion on what it calls the Gaza genocide to the Speaker's office on Thursday (Oct 8), and wants it debated in the Dewan Rakyat next week.
Caucus member Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (PH-Ledang) said the motion could not be tabled this week as it had to be filed by Wednesday (Oct 7) morning.
“We will file it (the motion) tomorrow (Oct 8) morning.
"We believe we can get it next week.
"Although there is the Budget debate, there is actually room, at the Speaker's discretion, to approve the motion and allow it to be debated," he told a press conference at Parliament on Wednesday, the third anniversary of the start of the war in Gaza.
Syed Ibrahim said the caucus did not want the motion sent to the special chamber, as "the Dewan Rakyat has the attention of the whole country".
Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman (PN-Sik) urged Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul to accept the motion, adding that MPs were ready to debate it into the night if needed.
In a statement read out at the press conference, the caucus said the motion should call for a lasting ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian access, rejection of the forced displacement of Palestinians and support for International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court processes.
It also wants scrutiny of military assistance and arms transfers that risk facilitating violations of international law, and a Malaysian framework for Gaza's recovery.
Datuk Bakhtiar Wan Chik (PH-Balik Pulau) said support for Palestine had grown among European lawmakers, and urged all 222 MPs on both sides to back the cause.
Syed Ibrahim said Malaysians should be wary of the agenda of major powers such as the United States and Israel, which he said had no interest in achieving peace.
The caucus said government funding through the Humanitarian Trust Account for the People of Palestine had reached RM86mil since Oct 7, 2023, according to parliamentary records.
It also urged the public to join a rally on Friday (Oct 9) from 2pm to 5pm, starting at Menara Tabung Haji in Kuala Lumpur and proceeding to the US Embassy.
