DR MAHATHIR Mohamad today urged Kashmiris to take up their plight to the United Nations General Assembly, just like how he did last year when criticising India for their mistreatment against them. 

The 95-year-old former prime minister said this was because the UN Security Council would not be able to resolve the conflict. 

“We are a small country. The only thing we can do is to highlight this matter despite threats and sanctions. We feel it is a worthy thing to mention this. 

“We hope the rest of the world will not keep quiet. The voice of the majority would be very telling in resolving the problem of the world. 

“If you go to the UN Security Council you are not going to get any result. The main thing is to go to the UN General Assembly to speak out,” he said, adding that the council is dominated by five big countries.

The Langkawi MP was the guest-of-honour today at the first-year commemoration of India’s lockdown against the people at the Himalayan region.

At the assembly last year, Dr Mahathir, the then prime minister, slammed India for its treatment against Muslim-majority Kashmiris.

His comments on Jammu and Kashmir – at the centre of dispute between India and Pakistan – drew New Delhi’s ire, with social media users even calling for a boycott on all Malaysian goods. 

India’s top vegetable trade body Solvent Extractors’ Association of India advised its members to stop buying palm oil from Malaysia, a call to punish the country for criticising India. 

Dr Mahathir responded to reporters at the parliament session last year that he won’t retract statements he made about the conflict in Jammu and Kashmir at the assembly. 

The former prime minister said Kashmir has benefited from the UN resolution and that other countries should also abide by it. 

“All we are saying is that all should abide by the resolution. Not just India, not just Pakistan but even US and other countries. 

“Otherwise, what is the good of having the UN?” he told reporters. – August 8, 2020.