Participants from all ages and walks of life, including students, professionals, refugees, religious leaders and politicians , gathered at a rally organised by the Malaysian Muslim Youth Movement (Abim) at an indoor stadium in Kuala Lumpur.
Protesters in Malaysia. Photo: CNA
This was the latest and largest protest held in Malaysia to show support for the Palestinians, and the first time that Mr Anwar attended.
"Malaysia is an independent country. We decide what is right. We understand the meaning of freedom. We stand with the Palestinian people in their struggle. Yesterday, today and tomorrow," Mr Anwar said at the rally.
All Malaysia wants is for Palestinians to be treated as human beings, he added.
Among the protesters was graphic designer Anisah Zahirun, 23, who travelled alone from Puchong, Selangor to attend the event.
She said she was deeply affected by what was happening in Gaza and could not bear to watch videos and news about the conflict. “I wondered where the humanity was. I was even afraid to watch the news because I would be so shaken and anxious,” she said.
She hopes that Malaysia will be able to put more pressure on the international community to end the conflict once and for all.
Several Palestinians also attended the protest, including Fayrouz Fahmy, a 36-year-old Egyptian Palestinian who attended the protest with her daughter and son. She said her late father was a Palestinian refugee who fled Palestine to Egypt, while her mother is from Egypt.
While most of the protesters were Muslims, there were also non-Muslims such as Kuala Lumpur Archbishop Julian Leow, who said he wanted to express solidarity with other Malaysians over the conflict in Palestine.
“As a man of faith, I plead for this war to stop immediately because every life is precious,” he said, adding that he hoped that much-needed aid would reach the civilian victims of the war.
Quoc Thien (according to CNA)
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