Malaysia continues to support Palestine in forming an independent state: Ronald

SANDAKAN: Malaysia has always supported and continues to provide unflinching support to the Palestinian cause of establishing an independent state.
Parliament Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee said Malaysia ranks as one of the 127 countries that voted for the resolution to call upon the United States to withdraw its recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Emergency Special Session held on Dec 21, 2017.
He said like the rest of the countries that voted for the resolution, Malaysia was deeply concerned about the announcement by the Trump administration to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
"Such a hasty decision will not only inflict grave repercussions to the security and stability of the region but also infringe upon the rights of the Palestinian people, including their rights to self-determination.
"Therefore, Malaysia reiterates that the final status of Jerusalem could and must be resolved through an amicable solution such as negotiation in a fair and just manner, in line with the spirit of the Charter of United Nations," he said at the 13th Parliamentary Union of Islamic Countries (PUIC) Conference and Other Related Meetings, in Tehran, Iran Wednesday.
His text of speech was emailed here.

Ronald, who led the Malaysian delegation to the conference, said Malaysia had also reminded PUIC members about the heinous crimes against humanity that were being perpetrated against the Rohingya in the Rakhine State of Myanmar.
He said the blatant violence has caused a humanitarian crisis and a serious influx of Rohingya refugees to neighbouring countries.
"On Nov 22 last year, I was entrusted with a mission to lead a delegation of Malaysian Parliamentarians to deliver humanitarian aid to the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh where I personally witnessed the hardship faced by the Rohingya refugees who have been encamped there," he added.
Ronald said according to United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as of Dec 11 last year there were nearly 860,000 Rohingya refugees taking refuge in Cox's Bazar, making it the fastest growing refugee crisis in the world.
As a step forward, he said members of the PUIC should urge the Myanmar government to restore peace and stability in Rakhine through immediate implementation of the recommendations in the final report of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State.
"The time for action is now, to prove our long-held commitment, to ensure a peaceful and stable region, and to assist our friend Myanmar in this complex situation.
"In this regard, I trust that having a good cooperation among PUIC Member States, with a focus on humanitarian aid and assistance is a promising approach towards solving this matter, together," he said.
Ronald said Malaysia urged PUIC Member States to stand together in addressing injustices against humanity and to promote moderation as a core guiding principle towards building a global community that is just, inclusive and above all, valued both peace and diversity. — Bernama