JOHOR BAHRU, Nov 19 — Over 5,000 Muslims thronged Sultan Iskandar Mosque at Bandar Dato’ Onn here to attend a Palestinian solidarity gathering this evening.
The attendees, decked in white, arrived as early as 3 pm some wearing mufflers and waving Palestine flags as signs of solidarity with the besieged Palestinians in Gaza.
Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi Seri said the support of such a large crowd showed their determination to stand up for the oppressed Palestinians and their right to be heard by everyone, especially at the international stage.
“The reason why we’re gathered here as ‘bangsa Johor’ is to give our undivided support to our fellow Muslims in Palestine.
“We also demand that world leaders restore humanitarian rights to the Palestinians and that Palestine’s sovereignty be restored. We also seek a stop to the cruel and merciless killings happening there.
“I was informed two days ago that did not attend his convocation as 44 members of his family were killed in Palestine and this is what they have to go through, not knowing the fate of their families,” he said during his speech today at the gathering, in the presence of Johor state secretary Tan Sri Datuk Dr Azmi Rohani, Johor Islamic Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid, former Johor Menteris Besar, Datuk Hasni Mohamad and Dr Sahruddin Jamal, along with renowned rock singer Suhaimi Abdul Rahman also known as Amy Search.
He also presented a cheque of over RM2.5 million in donations collected from mosques and suraus, as well as government-linked companies and non-governmental organisations in Johor, which will be channeled to the Foreign Ministry’s Palestinian Humanitarian Fund.
