SHAH ALAM, Oct 6 — Malaysia will host US President Donald Trump later this month in its capacity as Asean Chair, not on a bilateral basis, Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin told Parliament today.
Mohamad said Putrajaya's decision stemmed from its regional obligations and not an endorsement of Trump's past record on Gaza.
"We are obliged to invite all dialogue partners as the Chair of Asean. This is not about Malaysia alone, but about Asean's neutrality and centrality," he said during the Dewan Rakyat question and answer time today.
"God willing, we will take this opportunity to voice our concerns directly to President Trump.
“More importantly, we will continue strengthening cooperation between Malaysia, Asean and the US towards establishing a free and independent Palestinian state, ending genocide and destruction, and contributing to the reconstruction of Gaza.”
Earlier, Mohamad reiterated Malaysia's consistent support for the Palestinian struggle, citing its position in the United Nations (UN), the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other multilateral forums.
He also reaffirmed Putrajaya's backing for the New York Declaration adopted by the UN General Assembly on September 12, which endorsed a two-state solution.
The resolution passed with 142 votes in favour, 10 against and 12 abstentions.
Malaysia stressed the need to guarantee Palestine's sovereignty and independence in accordance with international law.
While welcoming Trump's 20-point peace plan announced in late September, Mohamad said Malaysia and other states remained cautious as it failed to explicitly address Israel's full withdrawal from Gaza or the Palestinian people's right to determine their own statehood.
He said Malaysia would use the upcoming Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur to raise its concerns directly with Trump.
"With the firm stance of the prime minister and the foreign minister, I am confident the Palestinian cause will remain at the forefront. Malaysia, together with like-minded countries such as Qatar and Egypt will continue seeking ways towards peace in Palestine," Mohamad said.
Responding to a question by Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayshal Wan Ahmad Kamal on the need to invite Trump, as no sitting US president had succeeded in stopping Israeli violence against Palestinians, Mohamad cautioned against excessive rhetoric.
"Even Hamas supports the 20-point plan by Trump. So, please let us not be more Hamas than Hamas itself," he said.
