PETALING JAYA, Jan 21 — The Malaysian government has been strongly advised to set an international precedent by initiating legal proceedings in local courts against those responsible for acts of genocide.

In his keynote speech on Genocide Memorial Day (GMD) 2024, former foreign minister Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar emphasised the importance of Malaysia’s consistent participation in international discussions and taking legal actions to support Palestinians within the established international legal framework.

He stressed that the country must pressure International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan to take the investigation into Israeli crimes more seriously.

"I have consulted with a number of legal experts, and they explained to me that it is possible to take Israeli leaders to court in the Malaysian High Court by the attorney general on behalf of either Gaza victims who can be brought to Malaysia for (treatment) or Malaysian citizens who were in Gaza during this genocide,” he said.

Syed Hamid was a guest at GMD 2024, which is dedicated to remembering, reflecting, and raising awareness about man’s inhumanity to man, held at the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS Malaysia) here today.

He said the ICC has been evading taking its responsibilities seriously regarding Palestine in contrast to the prompt way it acted in connection with Ukraine.

He added that even though Malaysia is not a party to the Rome Statute and, hence, the assembly of state parties of the court, it can still point out the double standards of its prosecutor reflected by the slow pace of the investigation.

"We are being asked to ratify the Rome Statute and join the court by many Western states. Now, I ask why should we, if the court is politicised?

He also questioned if the court functioned only against the enemies of the West and African leaders.

Syed Hamid urged Malaysia to refuse to be a part of this silence and to extend beyond mere rhetoric.

He called on Malaysia to employ its diplomatic and economic influence to effect tangible change by engaging with international bodies and supporting resolutions to condemn these acts.

Malaysia recently reiterated its endorsement of South Africa’s efforts at the International Criminal Court (ICJ) to uphold justice and condemn the oppressive actions of Israel in Palestine.

This year, Kuala Lumpur became a crucial part of the initiative organised by the Malaysia Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations (Mapim), Citizen’s International Malaysia, Sekretariat Himpunan Ulama Rantau Asia (Shura), and IAIS Malaysia.

GMD was started by the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) in 2010 to commemorate past and ongoing genocides while advocating the prevention of genocide.

Since then, various events have unfolded worldwide, drawing a range of speakers, varied audiences, and activists from diverse political, religious, and ethnic backgrounds.

These gatherings have shed light on genocidal acts that often do not receive adequate exposure from the mainstream media. — Bernama