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By Shahril Hamdan
Malaysia’s response to the ongoing atrocities in Gaza was always going to be vociferous in spirit and clear in where it felt the principal victimhood and blame lay. It is, after all, a Muslim-majority electoral democracy geographically distant from the theatre of conflict, and therefore also detached from the geoeconomic, geopolitical and security calculus that may complicate the question for others in the Gulf.
The notion of advanced weapons deals from the United States, a nuclear power plant or Israeli tourist dollars as carrots to moderate a long-held position on the issue of Palestine would appear utterly alien to any Malaysian government and the public that elects it.
Thus, in some ways, what is currently coming out of Kuala Lumpur is a continuation of the same stance observable every time escalations occur between the two conflicting sides. In other ways, however, there are subtle differences that underscore a ratcheting up of the rhetoric and posture and may hold broader significance.
The rallies are larger and more numerous. The politicians are queuing up to express essentially the same spirit in novel language and phrases. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim went on a brief but visible tour meeting the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt, persuading them to take stronger action. The government’s desire to be seen cultivating expressions of solidarity saw it launch Palestine Solidarity Week, resulting in at least one isolated case of overzealousness where fake weapons were brandished in a school.
URL to Full Article:
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3240232/malaysias-support-palestinians-will-always-be-firm-amid-politicisation-among-rival-parties