On Wednesday, the Malaysian government, led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, announced an immediate prohibition on the docking of all Israeli-owned and flagged ships, as well as vessels en route to Israel, at Malaysian ports.
The decision, effective immediately, was attributed to Israel’s actions in its conflict with Hamas. The statement from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s office expressed that the sanction was a response to Israel’s actions, which were deemed to disregard basic humanitarian principles and violate international law, particularly in the ongoing conflict and mistreatment of the Palestinian people.
Malaysia, with a Muslim-majority population, has a longstanding commitment to advocating for Palestinian rights and causes, aligning with other nations such as Indonesia, Brunei, Bangladesh, the Maldives, and Pakistan, in not recognising Israel.
The ongoing bombardment of Gaza by Israel’s military, following Hamas’ attacks on October 7, has triggered widespread protests in Malaysia and increased political pressure on Prime Minister Anwar.
The government’s statement specified that Israeli-registered companies and ships had been permitted to dock in Malaysia since 2005. However, the current government chose to override the past Cabinet’s decision and disallow ships using Israeli flags to dock in the country.
The statement also explicitly mentioned the Israel-based global shipping company ZIM, noting that ZIM vessels had been docking in Malaysia since 2002.
Furthermore, Malaysia extended its restrictions by imposing a ban on any ships destined for Israel from loading cargo at Malaysian ports.
In a parliamentary speech made in November, Prime Minister Anwar asserted that the government would maintain ties with Hamas and expressed a reluctance to punish the group for its actions in Israel on October 7, where over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed, and more than 200 hostages were taken.
Malaysian passports already bear an inscription stating “Valid for all countries except Israel,” and Israeli passport holders are prohibited from entering Malaysia without prior permission.
Despite being a major trading partner, the United States, along with Israel, remains a focal point of criticism from Prime Minister Anwar, who is known for his outspoken stance against these nations.
