Malaysia’s call to the United Nations (UN) to convene an emergency session to discuss Israel’s incursion on the Gaza Strip has received positive support from Asean, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said today.

He said he received the feedback from Asean Secretary-General Dr Surin Pitsuwan as well Indonesian Foreign Minister Menteri Luar Indonesia Dr Hassan Wirajuda, who was also committed to stopping the aggression, yesterday.

“This is a sign that Malaysia’s stand on the issue has received the acceptance of the majority of those concerned,” he told reporters after the ministry’s monthly assembly here.

Rais said on Monday that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had contacted UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon and UN President Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann asking them to convene the special session after the UN General Assembly failed to reach a decision on stopping Israel’s aggression on the Palestinian people.

He said that Abdullah had also contacted all the heads of government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Organisation of the Islamic Conference and several other international organisations to press for the special session to be held as soon as possible.
Wisma Putra had also instructed the Malaysian permanent representative to the UN, Datuk Hamidon Ali, to lobby several other parties for support for the proposition.

Meanwhile, Rais said he hoped that US President-elect Barack Obama, who will be sworn in on Jan 20, would use his humanity and power to stop the atrocities and not to side with the Israelis in whatever action or negotiation.

“So far, we don’t have any comment from him on putting a stop to the aggression and he only spoke in general terms.

“So we’re waiting to see what he will do and we mostly believe that he is not like (incumbent) George W. Bush,” he said.

Obama was reported yesterday to have expressed for the first time his concern on the matter but had said that he did not want to interfere before officially taking over the helm.