At Amanah AGM, Mat Sabu asked what gov't hiding on Yemen crisis

AMANAH AGM | A delegate at Amanah convention today wanted answers from Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu on whether Putrajaya was hiding anything about its involvement in the Yemen crisis.

Mus'ab Muszahar, representing Kemaman Amanah, told delegates that despite the crisis pushing over 14 million people into starvation, there had been little effort from the government to mobilise a campaign to end the crisis.

Urging Amanah members to spring into action themselves, he questioned if this was down to the Pakatan Harapan administration's fear of being seen as anti-Saudi Arabia or as pro-Shiite. 

"I want to ask Abang Mat (Mohamad Sabu) or other ministers here, maybe after this they can respond about the issue in Yemen.

"What is the government hiding about this issue?" Mus'ab (photo) asked when debating a motion on the government taking a proactive role in helping to end the humanitarian crisis.

"I want to urge all members – if our leaders are hiding something, maybe they do not want to be alleged as being anti-Saudi Arabia, maybe they do not want to be alleged as being pro-Shiite, or whatever allegation that has prevented us from mobilising a campaign to save Yemen – let's mobilise this campaign by ourselves." 

The motion was proposed by Amanah Wanita delegate Pushpa Nagiah Vengadesan, which among others urged the government to strongly criticise the ongoing crisis issue through diplomatic channels.

Amanah Wanita also proposed that the government call for an immediate ceasefire and for Riyadh to pull back all its military forces in Yemen.

Mariam Abdul Rashid, representing Selangor, said that the government should be courageous enough to speak out on the conflict at the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

The delegate said while many NGOs are sending assistance to Yemen – including Malaysian organisations – providing humanitarian assistance isn not enough.

"There have been many NGOs sending assistance, but this is not enough, unless we have a voice from Malaysia through the prime minister (to speak up), like when he spoke about the issues of Palestine and the Rohingya recently."

Amanah Youth delegate Hazmi Hasan, meanwhile, urged the government to be proactive and call for the UN to come up with a new resolution which could guarantee a better, more inclusive future for Yemenis affected by the conflict.

In June, Mohamad said that the stationing of Malaysian troops in Riyadh to facilitate the evacuation of Malaysians in Yemen would be reviewed.

Earlier this month, Mohamad's deputy Liew Chin Tong revealed that the April 2015 operation, known as Ops Yaman 1, was changed to a logistical operation in support of the Saudi-led Operation Renewal of Hope, and was known as Ops Yaman 2. 

Ops Yaman 2, Liew said, was carried out without approval from the cabinet or the National Security Council, and lasted until September this year, costing taxpayers RM14 million. - Mkini