KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 — Senate president Tan Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar reiterated the government’s stance over Palestine, offering unwavering support and solidarity in the Palestinians’ quest for freedom from occupation, conflicts and hostility.

He said the occupation, conflicts and hostility, such as seen in Gaza, bring no benefits and only result in more pain and suffering for humanity.

"We stand firmly behind the Palestinians. We must prioritise efforts to address human suffering over economic or other considerations. Putting an end to this inhuman catastrophe is of utmost importance.”

He said this during the plenary session on Political and Security Matters: Strengthening the Capacity of Parliaments to Promote Peace and Stability at the 31st Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), held in Manila, Philippines today.

Wan Junaidi said within the context of human security, all parliamentarians must also take heed of the issues concerning environment preservation, food security, climate change and global warming.

"We must acknowledge the urgent need for a united commitment. It has been discussed extensively that compromised preservation of the environment brings severe effects such as ecosystem degradation, loss of biodiversity, water scarcity and displacement of local communities.

"We must address and curb illegal resource extraction to maintain a balanced ecosystem balance and prioritising sustainable food production, with fair global access to food and water being equally important,” he said while emphasising the importance for both Western and Eastern nations to commit to the goals of the Paris Agreement 2015 in addressing the climate-related issues.

Wan Junaidi also said the members must support the United Nations’ global efforts and the national agendas must align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), using them as a framework to promote peace and stability, support sustainable development, poverty reduction and environmental protection.

On the role of parliamentarians, he said parliaments with their collective wisdom and parliamentary diplomacy are increasingly influential in guiding their respective governments.

"In this regard, discussions, dialogues, and collaborations lay the groundwork for a harmonious future for all nations thus relationships with our neighbouring nations must be forged in harmony and friendship.

"As parliamentarians, we participate in ratifying international agreements and are dedicated to closely overseeing the government’s execution of these agreements to ensure tangible benefits for our community. While trade serves as a tool in this process, parliament takes on a persuasive role in guiding government actions,” he said.

Envisioning an economically prosperous region characterised by peace and stability, Wan Junaidi said APPF members must collaborate closely, transcending politics and borders to achieve the aspiration.

He said the members must pool resources, and expertise and collaborate to address common economic, environmental and security matters to seize growth opportunities, towards a robust and prosperous region as regional cooperation is a vital key driver for overall prosperity.

"In this regard, transparency and accountability in government actions play a pivotal role in maintaining trust and stability.

"Parliaments hold the check and balance function to ensure transparent decision-making processes and hold their respective governments accountable for their commitments to achieve this prosperity,” he said.

The APPF is the Asia Pacific’s premier parliamentary forum that brings together representatives of the people of 28 countries to discuss pressing political, security and socio-economic issues and challenges of common concern confronting the region.

This year’s edition is held from November 23 to 26.

Among the Malaysian delegations are members of the senate; Datuk Seri Zurainah Musa, Datuk Azhar Ahmad, Datuk Judiet Fidilis @ Noraini Idris and Datuk Ahmad Datuk Seri Ibrahim, Dr Lingeshwaran R. Arunasalam, Datin Ros Suryati Alang, Abun Sui Anyit, Roderick Wong Siew Lead and Susan Chemerai Anding. — Bernama