AIPA President Defends ASEAN's Position On Gaza Amid Criticism

Barnama

26-05-2025

GENERAL
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul, who is also the 46th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) president during a press conference after the ASEAN Leaders' Interface With Representatives Of AIPA session in conjunction with the 46th ASEAN Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today.
KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 (Bernama) -- ASEAN parliamentarians have made a clear and unified call for an end to the violence in Gaza, Palestine, emphasising that the regional bloc has not turned a blind eye to the ongoing humanitarian crisis, according to ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) president Tan Sri Dr Johari Abdul.
The matter has not been ignored and was recently discussed at AIPA meetings, he said in response to criticisms over ASEAN's perceived silence on the Gaza conflict, especially when compared to its strong stance on issues in Myanmar and Ukraine.
'If you look at our previous statement, which was a consensus among all leaders, we called for an end to the violence in Gaza. This includes a ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian assistance, and an end to acts of genocide.
'It is a very strong statement. There's nothing to hide,' Johari, who is also the Dewan Rakyat Speaker, said at a press conference after the 14th ASEAN-AIPA Leaders' Interface, held in conjunction with the 46th ASEAN Summit here today.
He said as ASEAN is doing its best to solve the Myanmar problem, he also hopes that there will be more discussions among parliamentarians and government leaders in ASEAN to also push for collective efforts regarding the Gaza issue.
'The whole world knows what's happening in Gaza and we hope that there are more inner meetings to come to discuss this issue,' he said.
Asked about Myanmar's military government's push to hold national elections by the end of the year, Johari noted that ASEAN's approach focuses on engagement and dialogue with all parties involved.
'There are many factions and reasons for the ongoing conflict. Each group has its own aims, desires, and needs. To understand the situation, ASEAN has decided to engage with all parties and we've received some positive responses, and we hope a mutual understanding can be reached without interference from the outside,' he said.
Meanwhile, on whether the ASEAN summit under the shadow of escalating United States (US) tariff tensions could be one of most critical summit to its members, especially for export-orientated nations, Johari said ASEAN leaders are exploring ways to address the situation.