Malaysia to bring GMM initiative to UN

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said yesterday, at the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, that Malaysia had restated its call for the GMM to douse the flame of hatred and stem the influence of extreme and myopic ideas of intolerance, xenophobia and racial hatred.

"It is imperative for communities of different race, religion and culture to band together in seeking common peaceful aspirations and celebrate our diversity rather than be influenced, and enticed into extremist traps.

"Malaysia, therefore, looks forward to bringing forth the Global Movement of Moderates initiative to the UN through a Resolution at this Session," he said. His text of speech was sent here, today.

The minister also stressed that it was imperative for the voices of reason, tolerance and understanding to drown out the voices which glorified extremism "that sows seeds of hatred amongst our communities".

The GMM was mooted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the 65th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2010.

In his speech, Anifah also highlighted the plight of the Rohingya community, adding that the indiscriminate violence perpetrated against them during the 'clearance operations' on the militant group of Rohingyas in the Rakhine state by the Myanmar government had raised grave concern for Malaysia and other countries.

He said the operations had claimed countless innocent civilian lives and displaced more than 400,000 Rohingyas.

"Such atrocities have unleashed a full-scale humanitarian crisis that the world simply cannot ignore but must be compelled to act.

"If the current situation is not addressed judiciously, the desperate people in Rakhine will become easy prey to recruitment by extremists. Prolonged frustration, anger and deprivation provide fertile breeding ground for it," he said.

He also called upon the Myanmar government to end the violence and stop the destruction to life and properties, and allow immediate unimpeded access for the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Lauding the Bangladeshi government for receiving nearly half a million Rohingya refugees in the past three weeks, Anifah said Malaysia had also dispatched humanitarian aid to Bangladesh and would continue to send more aid for the Rohingyas.

On the ongoing Palestinian issue which he said remained daunting and appalling as Israel continued to violate international law with its "heavy-handed" approach, the minister urged for continuous efforts to find a just and durable solution.

"Any action by Israel to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the Holy City of Jerusalem are illegal and unacceptable," he said, adding that Malaysia was extremely dismayed with the diminishing prospect of co-existence as Israel's illegal settlement activities continued unabated.

Noting that the implementation of Resolution 2334 adopted by the UN Security Council in 2016 remained a challenge, he said: "If, we continue to allow for the resolution to be deliberately weakened in an unashamedly manner and rendering it unimplementable, we would be guilty of deconstructing the two-state solution."

ANIFAH-UNGA (GMM) 4 (LAST) KUALA LUMPUR

He also reiterated Malaysia's position to support the work of the Committee on the Exercise of the inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and its proactive approach to pronounce the need for a written quarterly report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the said resolution.

"Malaysia will continue to support the works of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The plight of some five million registered Palestine refugees must not be ignored," he stressed.

On another development, Anifah also reiterated Malaysia's strong condemnation of North Korea's nuclear tests and missile launches which seriously undermined the global disarmament and non-proliferation regime.

He said Malaysia also called for North Korea to desist from conducting further nuclear tests and missile launches, and to halt its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

He also called on North Korea to comply fully with its international obligations in the interest of the maintenance of international peace and security.

Anifah is currently leading Malaysia's delegation to the 72nd UNGA in New York from Sept 18 to 26, during which he is also scheduled to attend the ASEAN and OIC related meetings, Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers' Meeting and Ministerial Meetings of the Non-Aligned Movement.

This year's UNGA theme is, 'Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet'.