MALAYSIANS who believe in “charity should start at home” can now heave a sigh of relief as the Madani government has assured that the recent fly-in of 127 Palestinian citizens, including 41 injured as a result of Israeli attacks at the Gaza Strip to seek medical treatment in the country, is a one-off exercise.
This comes about as there will be no second mission to bring more Palestinians to Malaysia, according to Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
“We need to understand that while 70,000 Palestinians can enter and stay in Egypt, the country cannot support all of them,” he told a media conference following the simultaneous opening of the UMNO Wanita, Pemuda and Puteri general assembly last night (Aug 21). “Therefore, we help as many as we can.”
At the same event, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said his ministry would help to provide medical aid and subsequently repatriate all the Palestinians to their home country.
“I have discussed with Palestinian leaders and they don’t wish to leave their homeland. They are willing to die in their country. They want to return to their own land and do not want to be pushed out,” the UMNO deputy president indirectly allayed concerns of Palestinians being granted citizenship or resorting to obtain the refugee status like the Rohingyas.
Stressing that “charity starts at home”, human rights activist and lawyer Siti Kasim was embroiled in a war of words with pro-Palestinian faction on social media after she labelled Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as “better off being the Palestinian PM” for prioritising Palestinians when many Malaysians have to wait for months to seek medical treatment.
Pro-DAP social media influencer Thaqib Shaker further cautioned the Madani government against over-zealously opening its doors to grief-stricken Palestinians, drawing experience from how Malaysia’s good intention of housing Rohingya refugees since 2013 has backfired with a surge in illegal settlements and crime rate.
Yesterday (Aug 21), prominent activist Peter John Jaban has urged the Sarawak state government to guard its immigration autonomy as the first wave of injured Palestinian and their family members has landed at the Subang Air Force base last Friday (Aug 16).
“We believe that there is a great difference between providing aid in Gaza itself and bringing the refugees back to Malaysia, especially given neighbouring Arab nations having refused their entry,” contended the Malaysian Action for Justice and Unity (MAJU) co-founder.
“We hope that Abang Jo (Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg) will not follow his (Anwar’s) lead for Sarawak.” – Aug 22, 2024
