PM directs Wisma Putra to 'save' M'sian volunteers

Wisma Putra has been instructed to save the Malaysian volunteers who were on board the ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza that was attacked by Israel yesterday.
            
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said Malaysia would get the help of the United Nations as well as intelligence agencies to assist in finding out more about what happened and about the fate of the Malaysians.

"I have asked Wisma Putra to strive to save our volunteers, but we are having difficulties in getting information as there is no communication with the parties involved," he told a news conference today in Kuala Lumpur.

Najib said that, in addition to an official protest, he may initiate sterner action against Israel for the commando raid on the humanitarian flotilla, which was reportedly in international waters at the time of the attack.

“We will move for Israel to be brought before the United Nations security council. We are also looking at further action that we can take against Israel because they have violated human rights and international law," he said.

Asked if this may include a boycott of Israeli and American products, the premier dismissed the idea.

“A boycott will not have the desired effect in this matter... Anyway, we don’t have any direct Israeli products in our country,” he said.

Before more questions could be asked - especially in relation to whether the government will terminate its contract with the Israeli-linked public relations firm Apco Worldwide - the press conference was ended.

Twelve Malaysians, including a journalist and a cameraman from Astro Awani, were reported to be on board the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, which was attacked by Israeli forces off the Gaza coast early yesterday morning.

At least 19 people are said to have been killed in the incident, which has attracted widespread global condemnation.

Reports from sources on the ground state that the two Malaysian journalists are safe, but are among those being held in a prison in Haifa.

According to a foreign news agency report, Israel has detained 480 pro-Palestinian activists captured from the ship and is expected to expel 48 others.