PUTRAJAYA, July 22 (Bernama) -- ASEAN needs to be more vocal and united in voicing its views on Israel's continued oppression of the Palestinian people, said former Foreign Minister Tan Sri Rais Yatim.
Rais, who is also the Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF) adviser, said the Palestine issue can be brought up by ASEAN member countries through platforms such as forums, foreign ministers’ meetings and even at meetings involving heads of governments.
“ASEAN, as a regional body in Southeast Asia, must be more vocal and proactive in advocating for the Palestinian rights.
“In fact, the strong demand for a ceasefire by Israel, must be done collectively by ASEAN,” he said at the Coalition of Malaysian Non-Governmental Organisations: Free Palestine Colloquium, here today.
Rais said that in addition to ASEAN, international organisations such as the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League also need to show their seriousness in issues involving Palestine.
Meanwhile, PGPF president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the colloquium is a platform for NGOs to re-affirm its commitment to the Palestinian cause, as well as to demand and pressure the international community to be responsible towards the ongoing genocide and to put a stop to it.
Tun Dr Mahathir's speech was read out by PGPF chairman Tan Sri Norian Mai.
Among the speakers at the colloquium were Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss from Neturei Karta (an international organisation of anti-Zionist Orthodox); Nobel Peace Prize 2024 nominee Dr Maung Zarni; and Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Malaysia Chairman Prof Dr Mohd Nazari Ismail.
-- BERNAMA
