LONDON, Oct 27 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Malaysian government will continue to support the Palestinian cause and not yield to pressure from foreign powers on this issue.
As a sovereign nation, its stance should be respected, and Malaysia need not worry about potential pressure from foreign powers to be vocal and consistent in advocating for the rights of the Palestinian people.
“We should not be worried because we have our principles in this matter, and we know that for 75 years, Palestine has been oppressed, and major powers carried out neocolonialism in denying Palestinian rights.
“Of course, we want to avoid risks and economic restrictions, but if it happens, we will deal with it our way,” Zahid said after meeting with the Malaysian diaspora in the United Kingdom (UK) at the Malaysian High Commission’s Office yesterday evening.
Also present were the Malaysian High Commissioner to the UK, Datuk Zakri Jaafar, and Mara Chairman, Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s outspoken voice in advocating for this issue clearly represents the Malaysian people, who come from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds and prioritise unity values.
On Tuesday (October 24), Anwar, during his speech at the Malaysia Stands with Palestine Rally in Kuala Lumpur, revealed he received numerous threats from foreign countries due to Malaysia’s firm stance in defending the Palestinian people’s rights.
Earlier, Zahid, who is on a four-day working visit to the UK, also held meetings with several House of Lords and House of Commons members, including Rushanara Ali, Wajid Iltaf Khan, Baroness Uddin, and Catherine West.
“During the meetings, I also stressed Malaysia’s strong commitment to supporting the Palestinian struggle and urged the international community to set aside differences and work to alleviate the situation and provide humanitarian aid to the people in Palestine,” he said.
Zahid, as the Rural and Regional Development Minister, also met with the UK’s Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, Thérèse Coffey, to explore future cooperation between Malaysia and the UK.
Among the topics discussed was how the UK government provides financial assistance to new entrepreneurs, like tax incentives, to stimulate businesses in rural areas.
He said the UK government has a prosperity fund of £180 million (RM1.04 billion) to support business activities, including rural economic diversification providing new businesses with startup financing and grants.
“We also discussed rural development matters, and we did not only learn about physical development and apprenticeship undertaken by the younger generation in rural areas here but also the planning by their respective local governments.
“As we know, regions such as Scotland and Wales have been given autonomy to exercise their rural powers in the UK. We have done this in Sabah and Sarawak, but we can still learn from what the UK government has done,” Zahid added.
— Bernama
