KUALA LUMPUR – The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has expressed pride in Malaysians who continue to rise in solidarity with Palestinians suffering from atrocities committed by Israel.
Comptroller of the Royal Household of Istana Negara, Major General Datuk Indera Zahari Mohd Ariffin, said the king was also grateful for the spirit shown by the people in joining hands to provide humanitarian aid, including medicines, clothing, baby essentials, blankets, and food to Palestinians in Gaza.
“If only Malaysians could see His Majesty’s reaction during the Ops Ihsan visit… the king was highly excited to witness the support and solidarity of the people demonstrated through the aid delivery to Palestine.
“Al-Sultan Abdullah was filled with pride to witness the solidarity of Malaysians on the Palestine-Israel issue,” he said in an interview with Bernama at Istana Negara.
On December 18 last year, the king inspected the preparations for a shipment of humanitarian aid under Ops Ihsan for Palestinians at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
He said Al-Sultan Abdullah expressed his appreciation for the people’s efforts to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who was also present to send off the team.
“The king said he was truly grateful to Malaysians for their solidarity in providing aid and contributions and hoped that the items, including food, medicines, and clothing, could be sent directly to those in need in Palestine,” he said.
According to Zahari, the king fully supported Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when the government agreed to provide aid to Palestine.
“When the government announced the support, His Majesty wanted to see the preparations and delivery of the aid.
“His Majesty provided advice regarding the aid delivery and utilised his international platform to ensure that the assistance reached Palestine.
“That’s why on December 18, during Ops Ihsan to deliver a shipment of 60 tonnes of goods, Al-Sultan Abdullah went to KLIA cargo to personally inspect the items and preparations before they were flown to Egypt (then distributed to the Palestinians in Gaza),” he added.
Al-Sultan Abdullah will end his reign as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on January 30. The Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, will assume his role as the nation’s 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the following day. – January 28, 2024