FFC, TMTG M'sian Participants Agree To Deportation if Detained By Israel – Mohd Afandi  

SERDANG, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- All Malaysians participating in the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) and Thousand Madleens to Gaza (TMTG) humanitarian missions have agreed to sign deportation letters to secure immediate release if detained by the Zionist regime.  

Deputy Head of the Malaysian Delegation, Prof Dr Mohd Afandi Salleh said the unanimous decision by all nine Malaysian activists was made for safety reasons and to avoid taking unnecessary risks.  

“In fact, we have also sent copies of all our passports to the Malaysian Embassy in Egypt, which will play a role in facilitating our return to Malaysia.  

“The Malaysian Embassy in Türkiye has also contacted me and informed that, should we be detained by the Israeli regime, the process for the Malaysian FFC delegates will be the same as what was experienced by the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF),” he said.  

Speaking from aboard the vessel *Conscience*, currently less than 230 nautical miles from Gaza, Mohd Afandi said this during a live video call with media representatives at the headquarters of Humanitarian Care Malaysia (MyCARE) here today.  

When asked about the current mood among the FFC activists, Mohd Afandi said everyone remained highly motivated despite hearing some troubling accounts from members of the GSF who had previously been detained by Israeli forces.  

“Everyone is in good spirits, despite facing rough seas and the presence of several drones (believed to belong to Israel) circling above the ship, seemingly to intimidate the mission participants,” he said.  

Meanwhile, MyCARE Chief Executive Officer Kamarul Zaman Shaharul Anwar said at a press conference that all eight TMTG sailing vessels had joined the *Conscience* at 11.30 am Malaysian time today.  

“All vessels are now in international waters awaiting the arrival of the observer ship *Shireen Abu Akleh*, which is carrying a team of lawyers,” he said.  

The eight Malaysians aboard the vessel that departed from Porto Otranto, Italy, on Sept 30 are Head of Delegation Prof Emeritus Dr Mohd Alauddin Mohd Ali; three doctors, Dr Fauziah Mohd Hassan, Dr Hafiz Sulaiman, and Dr Ili Syakira Mohd Suhaimi; two lecturers, Prof Dr Mohd Afandi Salleh and Dr Noorhasyimah Ismail; MyCARE Board of Trustees member Norsham Abu Bakar; and Astro Awani journalist Syafik Shukri Abdul Jalil.  

Another Malaysian doctor, Dr Maziah Muhammad, is on the vessel *Umm Saad*, which departed from Catania, Sicily, on Sept 27 together with seven other yachts en route to Gaza.  

In total, this FFC mission involves around 150 participants from 25 countries, with MyCARE leading the Malaysian delegation.

— BERNAMA