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COMMENT | Only days after the Pakatan Harapan government decided to close the King Salman Center for International Peace, a Saudi-led coalition’s air strike killed and injured dozens, including many children below the age of 10, in Yemen. The children were travelling in a school bus when it was attacked.

The sad irony of the establishment of the King Salman anti-terrorist centre is that the Saudis have been terrorising their tiny and poor neighbour, Yemen, over the past three years.

The use of overwhelming disproportionate military force against Yemen has created the biggest humanitarian tragedy in the world today, with cholera and famine spreading in the nation.

The fact that the Americans and the British support the Saudi-led coalition makes the world look the other way as if the tragedy did not exist.

For the past two years, I had voiced my grave concern in Parliament on the Saudi aggression in Yemen, the previous Malaysian government's close military ties with Saudis and the building of the Saudi-backed anti-terrorist centre. 

The latest carnage involving the killing of children in a school bus justifies the Harapan government’s withdrawal of our troops in Saudi Arabia as well as the closing down of the Saudi anti-terrorist centre. Before this, the Saudi coalition had bombed hospitals and other public areas in Yemen.

Malaysia and other Muslim nations can no longer look up to the Saudis like we used to. They can no longer command our respect and provide leadership. The Saudis have abandoned the Palestinians, just like the Egyptians. The Saudis have moved much closer to Israel who are suppressing and killing the Palestinians.

Coincidentally, Israel bombed Palestinian civilians in Gaza almost the same day as the Saudi-led coalition attacked and killed the school children in Yemen. The attacks on the defenceless Palestinians are happening regularly.

Only recently, PKR leader Nurul Izzah Anwar together with law lecturer Mohd Afandi Salleh, who was captured by the Israelis, and I, as the International Bureau chairperson for Amanah, held a press conference calling for the condemnation of Israel by our government for its atrocities.

Perhaps Malaysia under the leadership of Dr Mahathir Mohamad should take the lead again in speaking up for the oppressed Muslims of the world. Mahathir and Malaysia were once widely respected and looked upon as the champions of the third world.

Many Muslim nations rejoiced in the recent Harapan government's victory. It is about time Malaysia again show the leadership that was once so much admired and respected worldwide. The ‘Malaysia Baru’ leadership could be the voice for the oppressed people of Palestine and Yemen.

Let our voice be the new hope for the world's oppressed and be the dawn of a new golden era for Malaysia.


Senator RAJA KAMARUL BAHRIN SHAH RAJA AHMAD is the Amanah international bureau chairperson and former Kuala Terengganu MP.

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