Malaysia Remains Committed To Helping Palestinians Despite Not Joining Board Of Peace - Mohamad

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will continue to strengthen its role in assisting the Palestinian people in Gaza, despite not being a member of the the Board of Peace established by US President Donald Trump, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

He stressed that Malaysia is always ready to provide assistance in any way to relieve the suffering of Palestinians enduring Israeli atrocities, including through humanitarian aid, diplomatic support, and cooperation with regional and international partners.

“Although we are not part of the Board of Peace, Malaysia’s role in helping the suffering Palestinian people in Gaza will continue in every way possible, together with the international community,” he said during an oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Negara today.

He was responding to a supplementary question from Senator Pele Peter Tinggom regarding Malaysia’s position on the establishment of the Board of Peace and the measures taken by the government to ensure that humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people continues to be channeled effectively.

In response to another supplementary question on the alleged misappropriation of donations to Gaza, raised by Senator Dr Mohd Hatta Md Ramli, Mohamad acknowledged media reports concerning the misuse of funds donated by Malaysians.

To ensure transparency and prevent leakage, he said the Foreign Ministry has set up a special fund, the Humanitarian Trust Fund for the People of Palestine (AAKRP).

“We want to manage (the fund) ourselves...this account is also presented periodically to the Cabinet and audited to ensure that every contribution is properly managed,” he said.

Mohamad further said that the ministry had channelled contributions to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with a proven track record of transparency in their aid missions.

He also stressed the importance of providing immediate aid in the form of food and basic necessities, given the challenging situation at the Rafah border crossing and weather factors in the region.

--BERNAMA