KUALA LUMPUR – A proposed technical cooperation between Malaysia and the Netherlands on flood mitigation systems here is now in doubt with the formation of a new and anti-Islam Dutch government, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
With the election victory of extremist politician Geert Wilders’ party in the country’s recent general election, Anwar told the Dewan Rakyat today that he did not know if a prior agreement between Malaysia and the Netherlands’ former prime minister Mark Rutte would materialise.
“We had an agreement with the Netherlands PM, Mark Rutte, as they are experienced in dealing with sea level rise, they have among the best technology in the world to deal with this, and he had agreed to send a technical team to come here.
“Unfortunately, or not, I don’t know, there is a change of government to an extremist, right-wing government by a group that is very anti-Islam, so I don’t know if this will happen,” Anwar said when answering a supplementary question about flood mitigation during Prime Minister’s Question Time today.
Anwar (Tambun-PH), added that although the situation did not look “encouraging”, Putrajaya will still contact the new Dutch government to ask if the proposed technical visit would continue.
Wilders’ far-right party, the Party for Freedom, won in the Netherlands’ general election on November 22. He has said previously that he would ban mosques. Currently, his party is still trying to form a governing coalition.
Anwar was answering a supplementary question by Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah (Paya Besar-BN) who asked if Malaysia would be adopting technology from other countries, such as the Netherlands, in dealing with sea-level rise due to climate change. – November 28, 2023