22nd August 2024
Press Statement : Palestinian aid: PATRIOT appeals for goodwill to triumph
Palestinian aid: PATRIOT appeals for goodwill to triumph
Dear Editor,
PATRIOT is gravely concerned over the reactions being registered in various social media by Malaians in the wake of
the government's air lifting of some 40 injured victims of the Gaza catastrophe.
Our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has taken the honorable initiative to assist Egypt in providing medical
aid to the injured Palestinians being warded in Egyptian hospitals.
"This effort must be recognised as a pure humanitarian effort and not willfully seen through the dangerous lens of
religious biases, " said PATRIOT's President Lt. Col. Dato' Zarazilah Mohd Ali.
"Some quarters are fueling animosity by even challenging if similar aid will be offered to others of non Islamic faith
and this is totally uncalled for.
"Such peddling can harm our multi racial and multi religious society" he warned.
Lt. Col. Dato' Zarazilah pointed out that the argument of shortcomings in our own medical facilities or hospitals
affecting service to Malaysians and claiming that attending to these needs should precede any humanitarian help
rendered to the 40 Palestinians echoes a hollow, selfish syllogism.
By comparison, Malaysians are not starved of reasonable healthcare. The room for improvements should never be the
barricade to our showing of care and compassion.
He pointed out how Malaysia had played significant roles in past decades in responding to war torn situations like
Cambodia and in Congo, to name a few.
"We did open our doors to the Vietnamese refugees at a time when our healthcare facilities and infrastructures were
lacking in serving citizens," he cautioned naysayers.
"Lest we conveniently deny, till today we aid international bodies by accepting the Myanmar refugees".
PATRIOT hopes Malaysians will demonstrate magnanimity and not fall prey to the attempts to wrongly
sensationalize the humanitarian response by the Madani government towards the plight of the Palestinians.
PATRIOT agrees that we may not be a perfect nation with all the super best capabilities and means at our disposal for
our citizens' benefits; but that should not blinker us or stop us in our humanitarian spirit to respond with care and
compassion towards others beyond our shore.
"Stop turning our nation's genuine humanitarian capacity responses into a dangerous racial, religious and societal
discord," he reiterated PATRIOT's stand.
President
Lt. Col. Dato' Zarazilah Mohd Ali (Rtd)
Persatuan Patriot Kebangansaan Malaysia
(Contact: +60123222388)
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