Israel-Gaza war: Malaysia will defy US pressure to label Hamas terrorists, PM Anwar says

Muslim-majority Malaysia has long been Southeast Asia’s most vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause and protests over Gaza have snowballed recently

Washington has made three formal diplomatic representations so far, Anwar said on Tuesday, adding his administration would not bend to the pressure

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Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim delivers a speech at the “Malaysia Stands with Palestine” rally in Kuala Lumpur on October 24, held in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 2:11pm, 31 Oct 2023Updated: 2:16pm, 31 Oct 2023

The United States has made three formal requests to Malaysia to reverse its official position of refusing to label Hamas a terrorist organisation, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Tuesday, adding his administration would not bend to the diplomatic pressure.

Muslim-majority Malaysia has long been Southeast Asia’s most vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause and protests over Israel’s siege and bombing of Gaza have snowballed in recent weeks.

Hamas leaders have been hosted by Malaysia as recently as 2020.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh (right) chats with Malaysian’s then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed during a courtesy visit in January 2020. Photo: Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia/Handout

The “démarche” notes were sent twice – on October 13 and October 30 – by the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur to the Malaysian foreign ministry. The Malaysian ambassador in Washington, meanwhile, was summoned on October 18 on the same matter.

Démarche are formal diplomatic representations seeking to persuade a foreign government, but ultimately can be to protest or object to a country’s actions.

“It is to ask [Malaysia] to not carry on with our stance, especially our refusal to consider Hamas as a terror organisation,” Anwar said. “We consider this a reminder, but our response is firm: to continue our relations with Hamas.”

Experts claim that Hamas has an “unofficial embassy” in Malaysia through the Palestinian Cultural Organisation Malaysia which was co-founded by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution.