BN government ‘sinned’ against Yemeni people, says Amanah

Amanah international bureau chairman Raja Kamarul Bahrin.

KUALA LUMPUR: Amanah’s international bureau chairman Raja Kamarul Bahrin has accused the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) government of conspiring with the Saudi-led Arab alliance to “commit sin” against the Yemeni people.

He said Malaysia’s action to provide logistical support for the war in Yemen was no different from the US’ supply of weapons to the Israeli military to kill Palestinians.

“If we accuse the US of supplying arms and ammunition to Israel which are then used to kill Palestinians, are we not similarly guilty of providing bullets and explosives to the Saudi Arabia-led alliance to bombard the Yemenis?

“The result is that our hands are stained with the blood of the Yemenis killed by the bullets and explosives we supplied.

“The only difference is that the American people know their country gives weapons but that is not the case for Malaysians,” the deputy housing and local government minister told the media at the Parliament lobby.

Yesterday, Deputy Defence Minister Liew Chin Tong disclosed that the Malaysian Armed Forces had aided the Arab alliance under Ops Yemen 2 which had no prior Cabinet approval.

Liew also said Malaysia’s involvement was limited to tactical and logistical support for Saudi Arabia.

Raja Kamarul said former prime minister Najib Razak and his defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein must be frank and explain why the matter was concealed from the Cabinet and Malaysians.

“Was the former prime minister so indebted to the Saudi royal family because of the lucrative donations and other matters?” he said.

Due to Malaysia’s involvement in the situation, Raja Kamarul said the country was obliged to extend aid to the victims of the Yemen conflict.

“Malaysia must be prepared to send humanitarian aid to Yemen as soon as the situation permits to atone for the sin of our cruel collaboration,” he said.

Meanwhile, former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi dismissed Liew’s claim that the previous BN Cabinet was kept in the dark about the Yemen operation, saying the deputy minister was not present at its meetings.

“I want to ask, was he (Liew) involved in the previous Cabinet meetings?” he said to reporters at Parliament. -FMT