PETALING JAYA, May 19 — The Selangor government today announced the formation of the "Selangor Peduli Palestine” fund aimed at raising up to RM1 million via crowdfunding to be channelled directly to the people of Palestine.

Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the fund will be mobilised for 10 days beginning today in collaboration with NGO outfit, Global Peace Mission Malaysia as an effort by the state government in expressing its solidarity with the Palestinian people.

"The collection will be mobilised in collaboration with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and will cover contributions from members of the state assembly, state government subsidiaries, private sector as well as personal contributions,” he told a press conference here.

He disclosed that the contributions to the fund will be channeled through Global Peace Mission Malaysia directly to Palestine in the form of ambulances and various other utility vehicles equipped with essential medical equipment.

"Medical supplies have become one of the few essential needs in Palestine especially in Gaza which has come under attack by Israeli forces,” he added.

Amirudin also said any contributions made by individuals or organisations to the fund will be eligible for tax exemption considerations.

It was reported that the Israeli Zionist regime’s aggression and attacks this time on Palestinians started with the attack on the Al-Aqsa Mosque on May 7, followed by airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since last Monday.

On May 15, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in his Special Message on Issues on Palestine said that Malaysia was saddened and disappointed by the inability of the UN Security Council to immediately halt Israeli violence against the Palestinians, saying the attacks are a war crime which violates the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention.