Even though Malaysia is still yet to be a developed country, it stands on its own class as an influential and respected country. Malaysia’s consistent stand in not intervening with matters from other countries, but supports the fight for peace has turned this country as an option for reference or mediator to restore peace in countries that are under conflict.
The stand has been around since the era of Tun Abdul Razak. It began to gain more strength during the era of Tun Mahathir as he brought this country 10 steps further that it is later known as the Tiger of Asia.
Our Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Najib clearly inherits his father’s legacy as he managed to champion the peace agreement between Philippines – MILF on October 2012. With the agreement, the 40 year conflict was finally resolved.
The success then led Dato’ Seri Najib to Gaza, where the oppression against people of Palestine by Israeli regime gets worse. The Prime Minister and members of his entourage including Datin Seri Rosmaha arrived in Gaza, Palestine on January 22 after receiving invitation from the President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas as well as a personal invitation from Palestine’s Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyeh.
The invitation from Mahmoud Abbas was conveyed to Dato’ Seri Najib on December 3, 2012 through Palestine’s Al Fatah Deputy Commissioner for International Relations, Dr Abdullah M.I. Abdullah while the invitation from Ismail Haniyeh aws received on December 11, 2012.
Previously, Palestine had expressed their hopes to Malaysia to bring peace to the troubled country.
Stopping the oppression however, is not an easy task. The first course of action would be increasing Palestine’s strength by uniting its people which are now separated to two groups, Hamas and Fatah.
The conflict began on 2005 after the death of Yasser Arafat on Novemver 11, 2004. The reason behind this conflict can be described as something classic where there are claims saying that there were act of nepotism and corruption in the government. From there, people of Palestine were separated into two parties where Fatah is in charge at the Palestinian National Authority while Hamas in Gaza.
A few agreements by the two sides. One was in Cairo back in May 2011 but both parties fail to follow the agreement. Then there was the Doha agreement which was signed by Mahmud Abbas (Fatah) and Haled Mashaal (Hamas) in 2012 but there was no follow-up or actions taken after the agreement. Both parties often ended arguing without reaching any final decision.
Just like any other conflicts which involves Israeli interest, both sides are suspected to have been receiving weapon supplies from America to ensure that they would keep on fighting one another.
Thus, the hope which was expressed to Dato’ Seri Najib as that he would help both sides to unite with one another. What is certain, the hope of getting him to repeat his success in Philippines, to Gaza, is not something absurd.
This is because, Dato’ Seri Najib is famous for being a brave leader where he used to visit conflicted areas such as in Southern Thailand, as an effort to work on a cease-fire agreement between the rebels and Thai government. He is also one of the first to restore peace in Bosnia back in 1993 as well as Somalia.
It is not much if we are to say that Dato’ Seri Najib’s smart leadership is one of the main factor in keeping Malaysia in peace instead of being attacked by the enemy. That is why, there is no doubt that Dato’ Seri Najib will be able to help Palestine in making sure that its people would unite and stand up for peace.
