THE government currently has no plans to bring more Palestinians to Malaysia, said Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin. 

He said the first batch of 127 Palestinians brought in on a mercy flight on August 16 was part of Malaysia’s efforts to help war victims as well as help Egypt who was hosting many Palestinian refugees. 

“We need to understand that while 70,000 Palestinians can enter and stay in Egypt, the country cannot support all of them. Therefore, we help as many as we can,” he was reported as saying yesterday evening. 

He, however, dismissed any plans to bring more Palestinians into Malaysia. 

“As of now, no,” said Khaled. 

On August 16, two Royal Malaysian Air Force A-400M aircraft carrying injured Palestinians arrived at the Subang Air Base in Selangor. 

The two aircraft had departed from Almaza Airbase in Cairo, Egypt, carrying 41 patients and 86 of their relatives. 

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said the ministry would provide medical aid and subsequently repatriate the Palestinians. 

“I have discussed with Palestinian leaders, and they do not wish to leave their homeland. They are willing to die in their country. They want to return to their own land and do not want to be pushed out,” he said, Bernama reported. 

“However, as part of the international community, a country with compassion for suffering, the little that we do should not be overly publicised. 

“Don’t worry, some states are concerned that we will send Palestinians to live there. That won’t happen,” he said during a press conference last night. 

Mohamad reiterated that Malaysia would continue to do everything it could to support the Palestinian struggle against the cruelty and tyranny of the Israeli Zionist regime. 

He also criticised the world’s major powers for their refusal to stop Israel from committing atrocities against the Palestinians. – August 22, 2024.