KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced last night an additional RM100 million allocation for Palestine, on top of the RM100 million already approved by the government in 2023.
The announcement was made before a crowd of roughly 8,000 people who gathered for the Sumud Nusantara rally at Dataran Merdeka here, a symbolic event held to send off a humanitarian aid flotilla to Gaza.
“This isn’t a partisan voice, nor a communal voice or a provincial voice. This is a collective voice. This is the voice of the Malaysian people,” Anwar said in a passionate speech.
“What else have we not done? We’ve sent volunteers. Clerics have helped. We treated those who we managed to fly in.
“Palestinian children who are left here, we give them education. Insufficient funds we give them all, so tonight I announce we will give RM100 million more,” he added.
Crowds fill the field during the Sumud Nusantara Flotilla Gaza flag-off and ‘Malaysia Stands with Gaza’ rally at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur last night. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin
The Sumud Nusantara aid flotilla is part of the Global Sumud Flotilla coalition and will carry crucial aid to Gaza, where more than half a million people are trapped in famine that the United Nations said is caused by an Israeli blockade.
The coalition’s organisers said they hope to break the Israeli navy barricade and create a humanitarian corridor to allow more vessels carrying aid to pass through.
The mission involves teams from eight countries and will be led by Malaysia, although the exact number of vessels sailing is not clear.
The convoy of aid vessels will sail to Gaza in two separate groups on different dates, with the first expected to depart on August 31 and the second on September 4.
The vessels from Southeast Asian countries will first head to Spain, a crucial stopover before continuing their challenging journey toward Gaza, carrying vital and much-needed supplies.
The second group will first head to Tunisia before joining the ships from Southeast Asia for the final leg of the journey to their destination in Gaza.
Anwar is among global Muslim leaders vocal about the Palestinian plight, often using international platforms to criticise the inaction of Western governments that he said enables Israel’s continued assault on Gaza.
The International Court of Justice concluded last year that there is plausibility Israel is committing genocide, although it stressed that the matter is still being investigated.
Anwar voiced his confidence that “justice will one day prevail as more governments in the world dare speak against the cruelty of the Israeli zionist regime”, citing countries like Brazil, Spain and South Africa as examples of nations that have taken a firm stand.
In an impassioned speech, the prime minister asserted that Malaysia would never abandon the Palestinians.
“We will always be with you,” Anwar said, reiterating a promise of solidarity that has long been a cornerstone of Malaysia’s foreign policy, to loud applause and chants of “long live Palestine” from the crowd.
