SINGAPORE: Malaysia stands ready to cooperate with Indonesia to send peacekeeping forces to Gaza if given a mandate by the United Nations (UN), Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced on social media after a phone call with Indonesia president-elect Prabowo Subianto on Monday (Jul 1).
Such a peacekeeping collaboration could expand to a regional level involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Mr Anwar suggested in his Facebook post following the call.
The duo had a three-minute conversation and exchanged views on issues including Mr Prabowo’s representation of his country on the world stage, Mr Anwar added.
“I also welcomed the idea of cooperation in the Malaysia-Indonesia international peacekeeping mission and the possibility of expanding this collaboration to the ASEAN regional level,” he wrote.
In their call, Mr Anwar also wished Mr Prabowo a speedy recovery after a leg surgery, which he underwent last month.
TRACK RECORD OF PEACEKEEPING
Malaysia and Indonesia are no strangers to peacekeeping efforts. According to the UN, Malaysia has 862 uniformed personnel involved in UN peacekeeping operations as at end-April. Some 825 of them are troops.
Since 1960, the country has participated in over 38 peacekeeping operations, including in Lebanon, said Colonel Shamsuri Noordin, military advisor at the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the UN, in a speech in February.
Indonesia has 2,715 uniformed personnel deployed in UN peacekeeping operations as at end-April, according to the UN.
Mr Anwar has been a staunch and vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause and has defended Malaysia’s relationship with the militant group Hamas.
In the wake of Israel’s war in Gaza, which began after Hamas’ cross-border assault on Oct 7, he has voiced concerns about the reluctance of the United States and the West to apply pressure on Israel.
The war has killed over 37,000 people in Gaza, according to the local health ministry.
Mr Anwar has also spoken about redoubling efforts to further strengthen ASEAN as a key platform in managing regional affairs. Malaysia will take over as the bloc’s rotating chair in 2025.
