KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stressed that western countries do not need to teach the Muslim world about the meaning of democracy, human rights and sustainable development.
He said the western countries on the other hand need to stop trying to control the international media, merely for the sake of highlighting inaccurate narratives regarding the war in Gaza, Palestine.
He said, the western countries also need to correct the narrative and admit that the unrest in Palestine started and lasted since 1948 and not because of the Hamas attack on October 7.
“We need to be clear and cannot be determined by the western countries that want to start the narrative (continuous attacks in Palestine starting since the military actions of Hamas) on October 7.
“The continuous destruction (in Palestine) happened since 1948, followed by the direct invasion of the al-Aqsa Mosque in 1969. In fact, now the destruction continues, whether infrastructure or human and genocide. This is what happened,” he said while inaugurating the All-Malaysian Mosque Summit for al-Aqsa and Palestine at the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory Mosque here, today.
Also present were the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar and his deputy, Zulkifli Hasan as well as the co-chairman of the Malaysia Mosque Conference for Al-Aqsa and Palestine (MM4AP) Datuk Seri Ahmad Awang.
Anwar also insisted that Malaysia remains committed to not allowing companies registered with Israel to enter and carry out any activities in the country.
He said that the previous government which strongly opposed Israel’s tyranny, still allowed direct trade with such companies in the country.
“That’s why under the Madani Government, the decision was made unanimously by the Cabinet to stop all forms of direct trade (with Israel).
“Then these very people who were involved in allowing direct trade with Israel insulted us by claiming that we have relations with some companies that have links with Israel,” he said.
Thus, Anwar said the government should use its wisdom, know its strength, right and opportunity to develop internal strength and not just resist recklessly to the point of weakening the country’s arts and culture.
“Those who rebuke us on the matter of trade with any company should answer why when they were holding the reins of power, allowed direct trade with ZIM (shipping company) and Israeli companies, that for me is the main issue that should be answered.
“I don’t want to use this space just to clarify such things, but we have to emphasise, but we have to agree in one voice,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ahmad in his speech said the date August 21 was chosen by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as World Mosque Day because on that date in 1969, a Zionist attempted to burn down the Al-Aqsa Mosque and destroyed the pulpit of Salahuddin Al-Ayyubi in the incident.
“Thus, the purpose of the MM4AP in conjunction with World Mosque Day is to unite the people, take the spirit of liberating and defending the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” he said.
About 700 representatives of mosques and NGOs, ambassadors from foreign delegations, scholars and observers from several countries attended the summit organised by the Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations of Malaysia (MAPIM) in collaboration with several other parties such as the Alliance of World Masjid in Defence of Al Aqsa and the Asian Ulama Council Secretariat. — Bernama
