SARAWAK PAS today pledged full support for the federal government’s decision to ban Israeli athletes from competing in the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships in Kuching in July.

State PAS commissioner Jofri Jaraiee said Putrajaya’s decision will not negatively affect the country as Malaysia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.

He said it also demonstrates the nation’s firm stand against the Jewish state for the atrocities it has committed against Palestinians.

“Other countries can compete in the championships, no problem. Sarawak PAS fully supports the federal government’s stand to ban Israeli athletes from entering Malaysia, especially Sarawak, even for sporting purposes,” he said in a statement.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in his keynote address at international conferences in Senegal and Austria recently, said Malaysia cannot accept Israeli athletes as they are from a “criminal” country.

He said people who are “undesirable” to a country must be kept out, and they include terrorist suspects. – Bernama, January 26, 2019.