Abdul Rahim Sabri
Jun 3, 10 2:44pm

Malaysiakini

Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak sekali lagi dipelawa untuk menyertai meja bulat untuk membincangkan isu serangan Israel terhadap kapal yang membawa bantuan kemanusian ke Gaza Isnin lalu.

Meja bulat anjuran Pakatan itu akan berlangsung di Kelab Sultan Sulaiman, Kampung Baru di ibunegara mulai jam 11 pagi esok.

Pelawaan tersebut dibuat oleh ahli parlimen Lembah Pantai, Nurul Izzah Anwar dalam satu sidang akhbar di ibunegara hari ini.

Perbincangan tersebut akan disertai Ketua Pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Presiden PAS, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang dan pemimpin veteran DAP Lim Kit Siang.

Mereka akan bercakap atas tajuk “Keamanan dan Keadilan untuk Gaza”.

“Ia (supaya) dilihat kebersamaan menentang isu ini kerana ia melibatkan isu ummah bukannya isu kepartian,” katanya.

T

urut hadir pada sidang media hari ini adalah tiga ADUN PKR iaitu Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Seri Setia), Amiruddin Shari (Batu Caves) (kanan, berbaju kelabu) dan Sim Tze Tzin (kanan, berkemeja putih) dari Pantai Jerjak.

Nik Nazmi pula berkata Najib mesti mempunyai dasar yang “lebih berani dan lantang” tentang isu yang berkaitan Asia Barat.

Beliau juga menempelak dasar luar negara Najib yang juga presiden Umno yang didakwanya “terikut-ikut dengan negara-negara barat khususnya Amerika”.

Sebagai contoh, Nik Nazmi berkata isu nuklear di Iran yang mana Brazil dan Turki jelas mengambil pendirian menyokong Iran berbanding Malaysia.

Sim pula mendesak agar Najib sendiri yang hadir ke persidangan itu “untuk menunjukkan keikhlasan demi kemanusiaan” dan “bukannya menghantar wakil”.

mediarakyat — June 01, 2010 — US Embassy, Kuala Lumpur 01/06/2010

“I would like to call everyone, regardless of political ideology or faith to stand united against the attack on Flotilla and to call to the Government of Malaysia to hold on to the 2009 pledge made by issuing a strong message condemning the Israeli government for the atrocious killings.”Nurul Izzah Anwar

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By G Vinod  TUE, 01 JUN 2010 16:16

KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Rakyat has given Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak 48 hours to convene a special parliamentary session to discuss the Israeli attack on a humanitarian convoy of ships ferrying medicines, food supplies and construction material to the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Disappointed with Najib’s slow reaction to the devastating incident, PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar said the government must, within 48 hours, also present a plan to save 11 Malaysians who are being detained by the Israeli authority.

He said this after attending a Pakatan-organised rally at the US Embassy here to protest against the Israeli attack on the humanitarian convoy yesterday.

“We are demanding that the PM convene an emergency sitting of Parliament within 48 hours to discuss the Israeli attack and we also want to know the government’s plan to save the Malaysians being held by the Israeli authorities,” he said.

These were part of a four-point open demand issued to the government today following the attack yesterday. At least 19 volunteers, on board Mivi Mamara, were killed while 30 others were injured.

Mahfuz also said PAS was giving the government 48 hours to terminate its contract with public relations company Apco Worldwide, which, he alleged, was a proxy company for Israel-American’s self-interest.

“They (the government) has 48 hours to terminate the contract with Apco.

“We want the government to stop all economic dealings, official or otherwise, with Israel immediately,” he said.

Too friendly with the US

After their rally, the Pakatan leaders handed a memorandum to the US Embassy to condemn the attack.

Also present were Batu MP Tian Chua, Kubang Kerian MP Salahuddin Ayub, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah, Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin and Titiwangsa MP Dr Lo’ Lo’ Ghazali.

Their memorandum was received by the embassy’s political counsellor Brian McFeeters.

Nurul Izzah said the US should take a stronger stand against Israel in the aftermath of this attack instead of just expressing regret.

“Post-Apco, Malaysia is seen to be too friendly with the US. The government is even reprimanding Iran over its peaceful nuclear energy project.”

“We find it very disturbing that our government is dragging its feet over the attack even though there are Malaysians affected by this as well.”

She added that Pakatan leaders will hold a special meeting later today, which will be chaired by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

“I would like to call everyone, regardless of political ideology or faith to stand united against the attack on Flotilla and to call to the Government of Malaysia to hold on to the 2009 pledge made by issuing a strong message condemning the Israeli government for the atrocious killings.”

Press statement on the attack can be found here

Malaysiakini

Jun 1, 10 12:45pm

Pakatan Rakyat has demanded that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak must convene a special sitting of Parliament within 48 hours to debate the Israeli attacks on humanitarian aid ships yesterday.

They are also demanding that the premier comes up with a concrete plan to save the 12 Malaysians detained by the Israeli navy on board the ships. 

The opposition coalition further said the premier should immediately cancel the government’s contract with the Israeli-linked Apco Worldwide public relations firm, and sever direct and indirect trade relations with Israel.

[More to follow]

Malaysian Insider UPDATED @ 01:02:10 PM 01-06-2010

By Boo Su-Lyn

June 1st 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — Hundreds of Malaysians staged noisy protests at the US embassy and the United Nations office in the city today against the Israeli raid of a flotilla of Gaza-bound aid ships in which some 10 people died.

Umno Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin led a group outside the UN office in Jalan Semantan while the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) led the first group of protesters outside the US embassy in busy Jalan Tun Razak.

The MPM protesters called for a boycott of Israeli and American products as they waved placards and chanted anti-Israeli slogans. A number of other groups are scheduled to send protest notes to the embassy throughout the day.

Police kept watch to prevent untoward incidents.

“Israel is an international pirate!” shouted a spokesperson for Malay rights group Perkasa.

“We boycott Israeli products!” others chipped in.

“We consider the attack on innocent unarmed volunteers as an act of terrorism, uncivilized and against humanity,” said Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali in his memorandum to the White House.

“We are holding you and your country responsible for the brutal murder of the volunteers who looked upon the United States as the superpower that protect(s) innocent lives and uphold(s) human rights,” he added.

Tension rose when a man claiming to be a Palestinian and wearing a Perkasa headband put a knife to his own throat, threatening to kill himself.

A witness said Perkasa volunteers immediately prevented him from doing so. After which police officers subdued and bundled the half-naked man into a patrol car.

Over at the UN office, Umno Youth protesters burned and stepped on an Israeli flag before handing over a memorandum of condemnation to UN coordinator for Malaysia, Kamal Malholtra.

Malaysia last night condemned the attack by the Israeli defence force on the Gaza humanitarian aid flotilla, which was sailing in international waters, saying the act was “a serious breach of international law.”

“Malaysia demands Israel to immediately cease its excessive and inhumane treatment of the activists and calls for the immediate release of the innocent people and the ships,” Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said in a statement.

He also urged the UN Security Council to convene an emergency meeting to consider action against Israel and to put pressure on Israel to immediately lift the blockade on Gaza.

Anifah said the ministry “is closely monitoring the developments as we have Malaysians onboard.”

The flotilla, originally made up of nine ships, was organised by pro-Palestinian groups and a Turkish human rights organisation.

One of the ships, Mavi Marmara, was attacked by Israeli soldiers yesterday morning, near Gaza, with two Malaysians — a journalist and a cameraman from Astro Awani — onboard.

Their fate is still unknown.

Six Perdana Global Peace Organisation representatives, who are on another ship, are safe.

Meanwhile Pakatan Rakyat (PR) also joined the chorus of condemnation.

PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar and PKR Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar handed a memorandum to the US embassy amidst a two hundred-strong crowd chanting “Hidup Hamas” and “Tumbang Zionis”.

“We issue four demands to the Malaysian prime minister,” said Mahfuz in reference to the international diplomatic crisis.

MORE TO COME

I would like to address the shameless murder of at least 10 activists on Gaza-bound aid ships, the Flotilla, boarded by Israeli military forces on Monday. The attack was a disgrace to humanity and a mockery to human rights. The Flotilla was in no way, aiming to de-legitimize the Israeli government through their actions. Their sheer determination to reach out to thousands of Palestinians in need of food and medical aid despite the cruel blockade by the Israeli military should be applauded by people around the world.

It is time for the Government and leaders in Malaysia to reiterate their show of support and commitment to the cause of the Palestinians by recalling the motion unanimously passed by the House of Representatives of the Malaysian Parliament on 12 January 2009 against the Attack in Gaza. The resolution among others, condemn strongly the Israeli military attacks on the Palestinian Territory of Gaza that are claiming the lives of Palestinian civilians, including women, children, infants and the elderly, and urges the full withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian Territory of Gaza. In addition to that, we also appeal to the international community to immediately extend humanitarian contributions to the people of the Palestinian Territory of Gaza. In light of this resolution, I would like to call everyone, regardless of political ideology or faith to stand united against the attack on Flotilla and to call to the Government of Malaysia to hold on to the 2009 pledge made by issuing a strong message condemning the Israeli government for the atrocious killings.

I hope our Premiere, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will not follow the foot steps of Barack Obama, in keeping silence over what happened to Flotilla but to stand up against the Israeli military aggression without fear or favour. Therefore, I call for an urgent motion to be tabled in the Parliament next week to further debate and solidify the Malaysian’ government’s firm response to this incident.

NURUL IZZAH ANWAR

Member of Parliament

Lembah Pantai

On Sunday, 18th January 2009, I attended the “Save The Palestinians Campaign” which was organized by the Coalition of Malaysian NGOs Against Persecution Of Palestinians or COMPLETE (http://completemalaysia.blogspot.com). The event was held at the Bangsar Sports Complex.

The campaign was attended by many Malaysians committed to a unifying cause: To stop the violence in Palestine and the arbitrary killings of unarmed men, women, and children.

What was a true eye opener in the rally was that the attendees of the campaign was not restricted to just Muslims. The Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM), Friends-In-Conversation and other non-muslim organizations joined in supporting this humanitarian cause. My personal thanks to Eugene Ong, Rev Sivin Kit, Irene Fernandez, Monsieur Goh Keat Peng and others who share the desire for real and surviving peace in the Middle East.

I cannot begin to imagine what the Gazans had to go through during the bombing, and period following it. But the pictures of children half buried in rubbles and homes totally destroyed are enough to make anyone -muslims and non-muslims alike- shake their heads and ask: Can we remain silent any longer?

My answer is this: Every little thing you do counts. Give generously in donations, stay informed – try and attend talks about the crises and meet up with your friends to discuss what other ways can be done to stop the unwarranted aggression against innocent civilians. The unilateral pullout does not guarantee the violence and inhumane blockade ends.