KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 — Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor voiced the support of the Malaysian Parliament for the struggle and rights of the Palestinian people, including the formation of a self-governing and autonomous Palestinian state.

The matter was raised during a meeting of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC) for the Palestine Standing Committee in Tehran, Iran, yesterday.

The Deputy Speaker’s Office in a statement today said that the Malaysian Parliament also called on all PUIC members to continue to support the struggle and rights of the Palestinian people.

"The Malaysian Parliament earnestly supports the Palestinian struggle. The Malaysian Parliament and government will also use all available means to strengthen the voice and protect their (Palestinians’) rights,” read the statement.

The statement said the meeting was also attended by Sungai Petani MP Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari and Parliament representatives from 26 of the 54 PUIC member countries.

According to the statement, Ramli also informed the meeting that Malaysia had recently expressed its strongest condemnation of Israel’s continued violation of international law and United Nations (UN) resolutions.

Malaysia also urged UN member states to unite in solidarity with Palestine and take action to uphold international law and human rights.

Ramli said the Malaysian Parliament had also created a Palestinian Caucus chaired by Ledang MP Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Through the caucus, the Malaysian Parliament has used diplomatic channels by submitting protest notes to the Embassy of the United States, the European Union and the Office of the British High Commissioner to Malaysia, thus showing the commitment of the Malaysian Parliament in expressing Malaysia’s concerns and demands regarding the situation in Gaza. — Bernama