'If you think you can criticise Trump, invite Netanyahu too'

Summary

• Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal says the government has a moral choice and obligation not to invite US President Donald Trump to the Asean Summit in KL.

• Wan Fayhsal says he and his PN colleagues strongly oppose Trump’s presence in Malaysia.

An opposition MP today asserted that the government has a moral obligation not to invite United States President Donald Trump to the 47th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur.

Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal said Malaysians’ struggle to liberate Palestine was far more important than any economic justification for Trump’s visit to Malaysia.

“My colleagues in Perikatan Nasional and I strongly oppose Trump’s presence in Malaysia. We understand the need to safeguard our national values and maintain balance in governance. But in this matter, we have a choice.

“We have a moral choice and obligation not to invite Trump. If the government’s reasoning is economic, and if that logic holds, then invite (Israel Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu to the Asean Summit as well.

“If you believe you can ‘advise’ Trump, then bring Netanyahu too and correct him. This is the Madani government’s twisted logic - one that undermines the Palestinian liberation struggle,” Wan Fayhsal (above) told reporters at Parliament today.

Earlier, the government explained that as the Asean chair this year, Malaysia was obliged to invite all dialogue partners to the summit. It said the opportunity would be used to convey Malaysia’s stance on Gaza directly to Trump.

Although Malaysia remains concerned about Palestine’s plight, the government maintained that it must assess the objectives behind Asean’s official invitation to Trump.

Wan Fayhsal, however, rejected the explanation, saying no US president in history had ever stopped Israel’s atrocities - and that Trump himself had enabled the ongoing mass killings in Gaza.

‘Deputy minister misled Dewan Rakyat’

Wan Fayhsal, who also heads PN’s foreign relations portfolio, said he would refer Deputy Foreign Minister Mohamad Alamin to the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee.

He claimed Mohamad had misled the Dewan Rakyat by making inaccurate remarks about Hamas’ stance on Trump’s proposed peace plan.

“I strongly condemn the deputy minister’s distorted statement. His claim that Hamas accepted Trump’s 20-point peace plan wholesale is false and misleading,” he said.

Citing Hamas’ official statement, Wan Fayhsal said the movement had only agreed to about nine of Trump’s 20 proposals.

“At present, Hamas representatives are in Egypt negotiating with Israel. What Hamas generally agreed upon were prisoner exchanges, the withdrawal of Zionist forces from Gaza, and the unconditional entry of humanitarian aid such as food and medicine,” he explained.

He added that Hamas rejected other proposals, including those concerning Gaza’s administration and the dissolution of its armed wing.

“Hamas only agreed that Gaza’s administration be handed to a technocratic group of Palestinians, and that disarmament would only occur under a legitimate Palestinian army established after the war.

“This means Hamas will never surrender or withdraw in disgrace,” he stressed.

‘Don’t be more Hamas than Hamas’

Wan Fayhsal also presented Hamas’ official Arabic-language statement as proof and confirmed he would proceed with the referral against Mohamad.

“As the MP for Machang, I will refer the deputy minister to the committee for misleading the House by claiming Hamas accepted all 20 of Trump’s conditions,” he said.

Earlier in the Dewan Rakyat, Mohamad had told Wan Fayhsal not to be “more Hamas than Hamas.”

“Hamas welcomed Trump’s 20-point plan. So why don’t we help and support this position? Don’t try to be more Hamas than Hamas. What’s the point? Let’s support peace efforts in Palestine,” Mohamad said during the morning session in Parliament.

He was responding to Wan Fayhsal’s supplementary question on Gaza, expressing disappointment with Mohamad’s earlier justification for Trump’s invitation.

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