SEPANG: The 12 Malaysians on board an aid ship attacked by Israeli forces on Monday morning are “alive and not injured”, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman. However, their whereabouts are unknown.
Anifah said the Government was working closely with the governments of Jordan, Turkey, the Philippines and Ireland, who have offered to help Malaysia secure the release of the 12.
“With international pressure and intervention, we hope their release can be secured as soon as possible,” he told a press conference here yesterday after returning from the Asean-Gulf Countries Cooperation meeting in Singapore.
Anifah clarified that 12 Malaysians were on board the ship Mavi Marmaraand not 11 as reported earlier, adding that the 12th person was identified as Mustafa Mansor from the Islamic Organisation Consultative Council of Malaysia.
He said 18 Malaysians were involved in the humanitarian mission, with six on board another ship, the Rachel Corrie.
Mavi Marmara was leading a convoy of six vessels bound for Gaza to deliver aid to 100,000 Palestinians when it was attacked by Israeli commandos in international waters at 10.30am Malaysian time on Monday.
The Israeli navy stopped six ships ferrying 700 people and 10,000 tonnes of supplies and forced them to the Israeli port of Ashdod.
Anifah said Malaysia plans to send a protest note to the United Nations Security Council for “their most disappointing” statement over the attack.
“The council had only expressed deep regret over the incident instead of condemning Israel’s act.”
Bernama quoted Astro Awani vice-president and general manager Rozina Aziz as saying that they received confirmation the Malaysians, including their news crew, were safe.
“We are pleased to learn that our reporter-anchor Ashwad Ismail and cameraman Samsulkamal Abdul Latip are not injured,” she said in a statement.
She said Astro Awani had been liaising with Wisma Putra and Lifeline4Gaza organisers to monitor the situation.
Rozina also said they had been updating family members of Ashwad and Samsulkamal on the latest developments.
In Kuala Lumpur, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has instructed Wisma Putra to try all avenues to save the Malaysian volunteers on board the Mavi Marmara.
He added that Malaysia would use its contacts in international intelligence bodies to get information on the fate of the 12 Malaysians.
“It is very difficult to get any information (on them) as there have been no communication with them. We will try (to get the information) through the UN and third countries,” he told a press conference here yesterday.
Najib said Malaysia would also look at actions to be taken against Israel for violating human rights and international laws.
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