KUALA LUMPUR – Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was among thousands who participated in a PAS-organised rally in support of Palestine near the US embassy today.
The nonagenarian, who was hospitalised for more than a month earlier this year, still managed to climb up and down stairs to a stage where he gave a short speech while sitting down.
He made note of the student protests on US university campuses against Israel’s war in Gaza and called for more groups of people to demonstrate their support for Palestine.
“We are gathered here to state our position. We hope other groups around the world will hold rallies like this, including in universities.
“This is not a case of anti-Semitism. There are also some Jewish people out there who condemn the actions of Israel,” Dr Mahathir said at the Himpunan 100K Bela Palestin rally.
Dr Mahathir, who turns 99 in July, had spent 53 days at the National Heart Institute to treat an infection, until he was discharged on March 19.
Besides the two-time prime minister, other leaders at the rally included PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and former communications minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa, a former Umno leader who is now with PAS.
The rally began at about 2.30pm today at different points across the city where protesters gathered according to the states they came from.
The march was supposed to culminate in front of the US Embassy on Jalan Tun Razak, but police had blocked the road and the group gathered in front of another corporate office building nearby.
PAS’s volunteer unit, whose members coordinated the rally-goers, said they anticipated a crowd of 50,000 today, but other observers estimated later that around 5,000 people had participated. – May 4, 2024