SAN FRANCISCO: Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei have firmly agreed on Gaza issue at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting (APEC) held on Friday.
Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said, he was happy that the other two countries had firmly agreed on the issue with Tuanku Sultan Brunei (Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah) had mentioned about the conflict in the Middle East.
“Indonesian President Jokowi had also highlighted on the hostilities that happened in Gaza,” Anwar said to Malaysian media at the last day of his visit to the United States today (Saturday) as reported by Bernama.
Anwar reached US on 13th Nov. to attend the 30th APEC Meeting scheduled on 14th until 17th Nov. 2023.
Anwar said, as expected the APEC economies had failed to reach a consensus on the paragraph proposed by the US on geopolitical issue between Russia and Ukraine.
“Following the issue had been brought to the APEC platform; Malaysia had discussed with the same economies and agreed to introduce the paragraph relating to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“As a compromise the US as the host had agreed to take out the geopolitical element from both AELM and AMM statements and will forward the geopolitics in the Chairman Statement only.
“At the same time, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Indonesia will release a Joint Statement that states the strong stand and clear opinion on the humanitarian crisis at APEC 2023,” Anwar said.
Only in the Chairman Statement on the APEC Economy Leaders’ Meeting they had mentioned about Gaza.
The statement said: “We have exchanged opinions on the ongoing crisis in Gaza. The leaders including the United States shared their stands. Some leaders also shared the message on the Arab-Islamic States Summit in Riyadh on 11th Nov.2023.
“Several leaders had protested the inclusion of that matter in the APEC Leaders’ Golden Gate Declaration 2023 with the reason that they do not believe APEC is the forum to discuss on geopolitical issues.
“On the whole, I am happy as this is an important stand. We are not members who like to exhibit the attitude of protest or having a “war” instead we want to take the stand as partners,” Anwar said.
Anwar added, he did not use the forum to criticise instead to make an appeal to stop the ongoing brutalities happening in Gaza.
Meanwhile according to Anadolu Agency report from the Palestine Media Government Office, the deaths in the ongoing crisis since 7th October have surpassed 12,000.
Earlier the prime minister had met with 400 Malaysian Diasporas with the majority students. Several questions had be raised and discussed including on dual citizenship, Ringgit and the intellectuals’ migration. – Malaysia World News
