Malaysia slams 'Israel', urges ASEAN to speak for Gaza's victims
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Malaysia's foreign minister has slammed ongoing Israeli atrocities in Gaza as violations of international law.
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Palestinians struggle to receive cooked food distributed at a community kitchen in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip, on May 23, 2025 (AP)
Malaysia strongly condemned Israeli atrocities in Gaza, calling them a reflection of “indifference and double standards” toward the suffering of the Palestinian people.
During his opening remarks at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, held ahead of the bloc’s 46th summit on Monday, Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan called the Israeli actions a "direct consequence of the erosion of respect for international law."
His comments come amid a renewed Israeli offensive in Gaza, where nearly 54,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed since the siege began in October 2023.
"Crises around the world continue unabated. The total siege of Gaza by Israeli forces is causing mass starvation and deaths," Hasan said.
He emphasized that the ongoing atrocities against Palestinians reveal a persistent global double standard and urged that ASEAN "cannot remain silent. We have a voice in world affairs, and we must use our voice to speak up for the oppressed and offer solutions grounded in principles and international law."
In February, ASEAN foreign ministers reaffirmed their long-standing support for Palestinian rights.
Regional stability threatened by superpower tensions
The Malaysian foreign minister called on all parties involved in Myanmar’s civil conflict to end the violence, broaden the scope of the ceasefire, and support the country’s challenging recovery process to alleviate the suffering of its people.
He made the appeal in light of the devastating earthquake that struck Myanmar in late March, claiming nearly 3,800 lives and causing severe damage to infrastructure.
He further warned that "superpower competition" and the consequent changes in the global order have the potential to upend the ASEAN region's landscape.
US-China trade war
Citing the implementation of now-paused US tariffs on ASEAN countries, he stated that the US-China trade war is "dramatically" altering global production and trade patterns and predicted a global economic slump.
ASEAN member states have faced US tariffs ranging from 10% to 49%, though a 90-day suspension announced last month by then-President Donald Trump has opened the door to renewed dialogue with Washington.
"We must seize this moment to deepen regional economic integration, so that we can better shield our region from external shocks," said the speaker.
Climate change, technological disruption
He also highlighted other pressing challenges confronting the region, including the accelerating impacts of climate change and rapid technological disruption. "Around the world, temperatures and sea levels are rising, and artificial intelligence is evolving faster than any government is responding," he warned.
What is ASEAN?
ASEAN is an international intergovernmental organization consisting of Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore and Malaysia.
Malaysia took the ASEAN rotating chairmanship in 2025.
