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Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates. Written by:Prof Nazari IsmailChairman, BDS Malaysia Despite repeated calls from NGOs and NGIs to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to disinvite Trump to Malaysia, he proceeded with his plan. In fact, Trump was given a special welcome, which included a performance by a `zapin’ dance team, much to the dismay of many, including the highly respected mufti of Perlis. He thought that the PM dancing happily with Trump during the welcoming ceremony was over the top, considering that Trump is such an evil person, given the fact that he was the same person who supplied weapons to Israel, enabling it to carry out the genocide in Gaza. Members of Malaysian NGOs opposed to Trump’s visit organised a `Trump – You Are Not Welcome’ protest. It was initially planned to be at Ampang Park. However, the police cordoned off the area and threatened to arrest anyone who dared to show up at the venue. Organisers were therefore forced to relocate the protest to Dataran Merdeka. As a result, the turnout was only in the hundreds, not the expected thousands. But the fact that so many Malaysians participated in the protest shows that they reject Trump’s presence in Malaysia. Speech after speech highlighted Trump as the `Chief Genocide Enabler’ in Gaza. While they were speaking under the scorching heat, Trump landed at KLIA. As mentioned above, not only was he given red-carpet treatment, but he was also treated to a grand dance show that prompted him to briefly join in, the video of which went viral worldwide. In the meetings that followed, contrary to the PM’s assurances that he would use the occasion to voice out Malaysia’s concerns about the genocide in Gaza, there was no apparent discussion with Trump about it. There was no request conveyed to him, either by the Prime Minister of Malaysia or any other leaders who attended the ASEAN summit, to stop supplying weapons to Israel to stop the genocide in Gaza. There was also no request to Trump to stop his blind support for Israel, which is the main factor behind Israel’s impunity. On the other hand, there were heaps of public praise for Trump. Sickening words such as `The world needs a leader like you’ were shamelessly expressed, possibly to make Trump feel as great as possible. Those who uttered those words must have forgotten the fact that Trump publicly boasted at the Knesset: “We make the best weapons in the world, and we’ve given a lot to Israel, … and you used them well.” Trump further stated: “I authorised the spending of billions of dollars, which went to Israel’s defence, as you know. And after years of broken promises from many other American presidents, you know that they kept promising… I never understood it until I got there. There was a lot of pressure put on these presidents. It was put on me too, but I didn’t yield to the pressure. But every president for decades said, “We’re gonna do it. The difference is I kept my promise and officially recognized the capital of Israel and moved the American Embassy to Jerusalem.” Towards the end of his speech, Trump emphasised further his support for Israel when he said: “And I love Israel. I’m with you all the way. You’ll be bigger, better, stronger, and more loving than ever before.” It therefore churns the stomach that a person who is proud of his role in assisting Israel to commit genocide in Gaza, which has resulted in the death of possibly more than one hundred thousand Palestinians, mostly women and children, can be praised as a man of peace. On the part of the Israelis, they are very confident that Trump would back them up regardless of what crimes they commit in Gaza. It is not a wonder, therefore, on 29 October, only a few days after Trump left Malaysia, Israel proceeded to kill almost 100 Palestinians, including women and children, in violation of its ceasefire pledge. There was not a single word of condemnation by Trump following Israel’s murderous actions. In fact, according to one Israeli media outlet, US officials were engaged in talks with Israeli officials to coordinate the move for Israel to control more area in Gaza beyond the yellow line. In the aftermath of the summit, it is more than likely that the Malaysian government’s image in the eyes of the people in Gaza, as well as those who care deeply for the people in Gaza, has been damaged, as reflected in a comment by a Gazan who saw the images of the welcoming ceremony at KLIA for Trump: “What a piercing betrayal stab that reaches deep into the heart! Gaza has exposed the genuine, despicable faces of not just the Arab and Muslim presidents and leaders but also the representatives of the people!” Fortunately, he also saw the images of the protest at Dataran Merdeka, prompting him to make the following comment: “Malaysians of all races and backgrounds have never failed Gaza. Today, despite the scorching sun, they stood chanting against the visit of the criminal Trump. Glory to the awakened peoples, and shame and disgrace to the weak and spineless officials.” Let us not disappoint the Gazans. The demise of the Zionist settler-colonial project in Palestine, the very last one of its type in this day and age, is an inevitability. Let us all work harder to make sure Zionism is eliminated sooner rather than later, not only in Gaza but in all of Palestine, the Middle East and globally. Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Threads.
