Don T Be Unreasonable Over Transit Centre Palestinians Says Saifuddin

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Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said his ministry is open to reviewing the type of passes issued to better accommodate the Palestinians. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: It is unreasonable to demand that Malaysia send back injured Palestinians currently receiving treatment here following an incident at a transit centre, home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said today.
Responding to a recent public backlash after two Palestinian women were seen causing a commotion at Wisma Transit, the minister said they were among those who were brought to Malaysia for medical treatment because of the Israeli war on Gaza.
To allow their stay in Malaysia, he said the Palestinians were issued entry passes under the Immigration Act.

I agree with the defence minister’s (Khaled Nordin) view to not generalise or engage in a blame game, calling for them to be sent back, he told reporters in Sintok, Kedah today.Their country is at war and in ruins, so it is unreasonable to pressure for their return over a single incident.
Saifuddin said the home ministry is open to reviewing the type of passes issued to better accommodate the Palestinians. He said Malaysia had issued similar passes to Syrian refugees during the Syrian conflict, offering them stays of up to three to four years.

The recent incident occurred partly due to dissatisfaction among some individuals placed in the transit area, where their movement was restricted, as the primary purpose was medical treatment, he said.

The priority is finding a solution using the existing laws to accommodate their stay. The home ministry is ready to cooperate, as the relevant legislation falls under our purview.
Palestine’s ambassador to Malaysia, Walid Abu Ali, has since apologised for the incident and said it should never happen again.
10 verbal requests to go homeThe ambassador disclosed that there had been 10 verbal requests from the Palestinians to go home.

They have to sign a letter of consent to show that it is upon their request. The defence ministry and the embassy will arrange to send them back to where they came from, he said.

This had been discussed and agreed with the defence ministry when we met this morning, he said. - FMT

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