logo
Malaysia channels US$1mil to UNRWA and Palestinian Red Crescent

Malaysia channels US$1mil to UNRWA and Palestinian Red Crescent

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has announced a US$1 million (RM4.25 million) contribution to be channelled to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the Palestinian Red Crescent.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said this is in addition to the US$16 million that had already been channelled for the Palestinian people since September 2023.
He said this was conveyed during the Fourth Ministerial Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (Ceapad), attended by Palestine Planning and International Cooperation Minister Dr Estephan Salameh.
"We reaffirmed our strong support for Palestinians' right to self-determination, amid the dire humanitarian and human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly Gaza, with the adoption of the Kuala Lumpur Action Plan 2025.
"Through the Kuala Lumpur Action Plan, collective regional assistance will be galvanised to urgently address Palestinians' needs.
"This Action Plan will guide members of Ceapad in assisting Palestine in areas, among others, humanitarian aid, reconstruction and state-building through capacity-building and technical cooperation," he said in a press conference here tonight following the conclusion of the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting and related meetings.
He also reaffirmed Malaysia's long-standing principled position on Palestinians' right to self-determination through the swift establishment of a sovereign State of Palestine, based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Mohamad also called upon the remaining 46 states that have yet to recognise Palestine to do so without any preconditions, and to support Palestine's admission as a full member of the United Nations without any further delay.
"Malaysia is committed to assisting Palestine through targeted assistance, focusing on humanitarian aid, reconstruction and state-building as well as youth development.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Thai lawmakers pass massive US$117bil budget to revive economy
Thai lawmakers pass massive US$117bil budget to revive economy

The Star

time3 hours ago

  • The Star

Thai lawmakers pass massive US$117bil budget to revive economy

Image from The Nation Thailand/ANN BANGKOK (Bloomberg): Thailand's lower house of parliament passed a 3.78 trillion baht (US$117 billion) annual budget, needed to support a fragile economy that's at risk from issues ranging from the impact of higher US tariffs to a downturn in tourism. The budget bill for the year starting Oct 1 was backed by 257 lawmakers in the 500-member House of Representatives late Friday, following a three-day debate. A total of 229 members opposed the spending plan. The vote will be a relief to investors in the Southeast Asian nation, by avoiding a repeat of the months-long deadlock over spending plans seen in 2019. The country faces a litany of problems, including political instability linked to the suspension of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra; continued tensions with Cambodia which recently erupted into violent clashes; and a stiff 19% tariff on shipments to the US, Thailand's biggest export destination. Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira thanked the house for approving the budget and said the government will ensure the spending is efficient, transparent and delivers maximum benefit to the people. "I would like to assure that the policies, measures, and budget approved will be implemented in accordance with the designated objectives and plans,' Pichai said in a post on X. The government has defended a marginal increase in spending for the year starting October, and a projected budget deficit of 860 billion baht ($27 billion), or 4.3% of gross domestic product. Officials say the outlays are necessary given the increased risks to the economy from global trade uncertainties. The Senate will review the budget on Aug. 25-26, but analysts expect the spending plan to take effect on Oct. 1 as planned. The Constitutional Court will rule on Aug. 29 whether to disqualify Paetongtarn, amid allegations that she breached ethical standards in handling a border dispute with Cambodia. "Put together, these developments increase the odds that the 2026 budget could be passed before the conclusion of Paetongtarn's case, thereby removing the most significant headwind to growth as a result of the ongoing political crisis,' Citi Research said in a note to investors this week. More support is coming for the economy. The Bank of Thailand on Wednesday cut its policy rate for the fourth time since October to the lowest level in more than two years to ease the burden for vulnerable groups. -- ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.

Gaza civil defence reports 22 killed in Israeli strikes amid crisis
Gaza civil defence reports 22 killed in Israeli strikes amid crisis

The Sun

time4 hours ago

  • The Sun

Gaza civil defence reports 22 killed in Israeli strikes amid crisis

GAZA STRIP: Gaza's civil defence agency reported that Israeli attacks killed at least 22 people on Saturday. The agency warned that intensifying strikes on Gaza City's Zeitun neighbourhood are putting remaining residents in grave danger. Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal described rapidly deteriorating conditions in Zeitun. He said residents have little to no access to food and water under heavy bombardment. An estimated 50,000 people remain in that part of Gaza City, most without basic necessities. Media restrictions in Gaza make independent verification of casualty figures difficult. Recent days have seen increased air strikes targeting residential areas, including Zeitun. Hamas earlier condemned what it called 'aggressive' Israeli ground incursions. Bassal accused Israel of carrying out 'ethnic cleansing' in Zeitun. Israeli officials have previously rejected such claims, insisting they follow international law. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet recently approved plans to seize Gaza City. The area, one of Gaza's most densely populated, has suffered over 22 months of war. On Friday, the Israeli military confirmed its troops were operating in Zeitun. Ghassan Kashko, sheltering with his family in a school, said they 'don't know the taste of sleep.' He described continuous explosions from air strikes and tank shelling. Israel's war expansion plans have drawn international condemnation and domestic opposition. UN experts warn of spreading famine as Israel restricts humanitarian aid. The civil defence said 13 of Saturday's victims were shot while waiting for food aid. The conflict began with Hamas's October 2023 attack, killing 1,219 in Israel. Israel's offensive has claimed over 61,000 Palestinian lives, per Gaza's health ministry- AFP

Trump hand-delivers Melania's personal letter to Putin, highlighting plight of thousands of abducted Ukrainian children
Trump hand-delivers Melania's personal letter to Putin, highlighting plight of thousands of abducted Ukrainian children

Malay Mail

time5 hours ago

  • Malay Mail

Trump hand-delivers Melania's personal letter to Putin, highlighting plight of thousands of abducted Ukrainian children

ANCHORAGE, Aug 16 — US President Donald Trump's wife, Melania Trump, raised the plight of children in Ukraine and Russia in a personal letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, two White House officials said yesterday. President Trump hand-delivered the letter to Putin during their summit talks in Alaska, the officials told Reuters. Slovenian-born Melania Trump was not on the trip to Alaska. The officials would not divulge the contents of the letter other than to say it mentioned the abductions of children resulting from the war in Ukraine. The existence of the letter was not previously reported. Russia's seizure of Ukrainian children has been a deeply sensitive one for Ukraine. Ukraine has called the abductions of tens of thousands of its children taken to Russia or Russian-occupied territory without the consent of family or guardians a war crime that meets the UN treaty definition of genocide. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy conveyed his gratitude to the first lady on his call with Trump on Saturday, Ukraine's foreign minister said. 'This is a true act of humanism,' Andrii Sybiha added on X. Previously Moscow has said it has been protecting vulnerable children from a war zone. The United Nations Human Rights Office has said Russia has inflicted suffering on millions of Ukrainian children and violated their rights since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Trump and Putin met for nearly three hours at a US military base in Anchorage without reaching a ceasefire deal in the war in Ukraine. — Reuters

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store