KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia should leverage United States President Donald Trump’s visit to the ASEAN Summit as a diplomatic platform to reiterate the nation’s stance on Palestine.
Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia director-general Associate Prof Datuk Dr Mohamed Azam Mohamed Adil said this includes addressing the issue of ethnic genocide and the need for universal justice.
He said Trump’s presence must not be construed as an endorsement of US foreign policy, which often contradicts human rights principles.
“In the formal dialogue space, Malaysia will have the opportunity to voice objections to any form of ethnic oppression while proposing the establishment of a joint US-Malaysia mechanism to monitor human rights in conflict zones and support independent international investigations,“ he said in a statement.
Mohamed Azam also supported the view of Federal Territories Mufti Ahmad Fauwaz Fadzil, who said rejecting Trump’s visit to Malaysia would run counter to the principles of Maqasid al-Syariah.
“Within the framework of Syariah, greater benefits can be achieved when the door of dialogue is opened with calm reasoning and clear arguments, in the interest of preserving peace and upholding human dignity,“ he said.
Mohamed Azam said IKIM believes any cooperation or assistance from the United States should be conditional on adherence to human rights principles.
This includes the prohibition of support to parties involved in war or genocide and participation in post-conflict recovery efforts.
He said the visit offers Malaysia the opportunity to demonstrate a diplomacy that is subtle yet principled, courteous yet courageous and gentle in tone but firm in substance.
“If this opportunity is utilised wisely, Malaysia will not only affirm its sovereignty on the world stage but also elevate ASEAN’s moral leadership in championing the voices of humanity,“ he added. – Bernama
