Abd Karim: Any prospect of hosting Palestinian refugees in Malaysia shouldn’t involve S’wak (Video)

KUCHING (Nov 17): If the federal government decides to accept Palestinian refugees, they should be placed in the peninsula, said Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

The Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister said while he sympathises with the suffering of the Palestinians, any prospect of hosting refugees in Malaysia should not involve Sarawak.

“In my defence, if the federal government says they want to accept refugees, I will be among the first one to come up with a statement to say, please don’t consider Sarawak. Do it in West Malaysia first,” he told a press conference here today.

He was commenting on the polarisation caused by his statement on Wednesday chiding non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and a minister for rejecting the possibility of Sarawak hosting refugees from Palestine as the federal government had yet to decide on the issue.

Abdul Karim clarified that his support for the Palestinians did not mean he believes Sarawak should take them in.

“Don’t look at it as if I am big, supportive of refugees. But as I mentioned much earlier before this, it is an issue of humanity,” he said, reiterating his stance that the issues faced by Palestinians is not religious.

He pointed out the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, which was bombed on Oct 17, 2023, was run by Christians.

“The hospital, that was hit by the bomb, is a hospital managed by the Anglican Church. The Palestinians are not only Muslim but they are also Christians and Jews.

“There are no talks about taking in refugees. We are still in the middle of sympathising with the Palestinians’ struggle, and this is not an issue of religion since there are also Christians and Jews residing in Gaza and the West Bank.

“Wherever there are those being oppressed, it is our moral duty to show concern. I expressed it from that angle,” he explained.

He said the people are suffering and as human beings, help should be extended to those in need.

“Help can be done in various ways, does not mean that we should go and fight. By showing support and solidarity, wearing white clothes is also one of the ways of showing concern,” he said.

On a planned press conference in Kapit to respond to his earlier statement, Abdul Karim said he had no issue with it as the country practices democracy.

“However, there are some who attempted to fish in troubled waters. You know who I mean. These people are not specific government officials or high-top brass people.

“There are also people who want to make it up to them because we practice democracy but look into the harmonious side,” he said.

He opined that certain NGOs were not being responsible.

“All they do results in fights between the Malays and Dayaks, between the Chinese and the Dayaks and Malays — that is what they want. Thus, we government officials must not follow suit,” he added.