KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations (MAPIM) recently held a meeting with the Egyptian Ambassador to Malaysia, Ragai Tawfik Said Nasr, to discuss Egypt’s role in supporting Malaysia’s efforts for the humanitarian crisis in Palestine and emphasised the shared commitment of the two countries.
In a statement, MAPIM said in the meeting attended by its Head of Humanitarian Activism Dr Sani Araby, Ragai also explained the important role of Egypt in achieving a temporary ceasefire, as well as proving its commitment to peace.
According to MAPIM, the successful evacuation mission of Malaysian Nurul Ain Haron and her husband Mohamed A. M. Shaat through Rafah last year highlights Egypt’s commitment to the safety and well-being of individuals regardless of nationality during the crisis.
“This demonstration of support firmly underlines the importance of bilateral relations between Malaysia and Egypt at a time of need,” he said.
According to MAPIM, Ragai thanked all Malaysians for their unwavering support and humanitarian aid to Palestine, as well as affirming the country’s commitment to support Malaysia’s efforts to provide aid to Gaza.
The statement, shedding light on the issues at hand, said Egypt has long been a supporter of the Palestinian struggle and its commitment dates back to 1948 with the country actively participating in various wars until sacrificing more than 106,000 lives in Egypt to protect Palestinian rights and reclaim Palestinian territory.
According to the statement, in addition to playing an important role in negotiating with the Israeli regime, Egypt also showed an unwavering commitment to peace and stability in the region.
“MAPIM understands that Egypt has consistently kept the door between Egypt and Gaza open since Oct 7. In fact, Israel destroyed the Gaza crossing, prompting Egyptian engineers to rebuild the road and allow safe passage for the world’s humanitarian aid,” it said.
MAPIM said Ops Ihsan managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received proactive support from Ragai and more than 100 tonnes of aid were successfully sent to Gaza through the collective efforts of more than 50 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and 800 volunteers at the MAPIM central warehouse in Sepang.
At the same time, Dr Sani expressed the hope that the existing strong relationship between Malaysia and Egypt will enable both countries to fight for human rights together and ensure smooth access to Gaza for NGOs.
According to the statement, MAPIM also hopes that Egypt will provide greater support, especially in helping NGOs to reach Gaza and implement large-scale post-war projects such as the construction of the Malaysia-Gaza Waqf City. – BERNAMA
