KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has never had any diplomatic ties with Israel and the policy is clear and has never changed, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman told Parliament on Wednesday.

Malaysia has been consistent in expressing its concern and condemnation against Israeli attacks and intrusion into the territories occupied by Palestinians, and against Israel's illegal settlements in the West Bank, he said.

"As a country which cares and sympathises with Palestine, Malaysia has been and will continue to support the Palestinians in terms of social, politics and economy.

"This includes financial and humanitarian assistance through the reconstruction aid for Gaza and West Bank.

"Malaysia also provides training to Palestine under the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme and other assistance given by non-governmental organisations," he said in reply to Datuk Juslie Ajirol (BN-Libaran).

Anifah also touched on the statement by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who was quoted by the Wall Street Journal in January as supporting the security of Israel.

This sent the house in rupture when opposition members rose and objected to the statement which they claimed as baseless.

Nurul Izzah Anwar (PKR-Lembah Pantai) accused Anifah of trying to confuse the house and deliberately using question time to hurl accusations against Anwar.

She demanded that Anifah be referred to the Rights and Privilege Committee if he refused to withdraw his remark, prompting Deputy Speaker Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar to retort:

"There is no need to teach me how to do my job. Let me do my job, let me make my own decision. Don't push me."

Khalid Samad (PAS-Shah Alam), Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak), and Yusmadi Yusuf (PKR-Balik Pulau) also rose and joined in the pandemonium. The chaos lasted nearly 30 minutes, with Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) and Datuk Mohamed Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) lashing out at the opposition members.

Wan Junaidi put the house back in order by disallowing any more supplementary questions about the matter and ordered the members to move on to the next question. BERNAMA

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