THOUSANDS CONVERGE AT AXIATA ARENA IN SHOW OF SOLIDARITY WITH GAZA

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s solidarity for Palestine’s struggle for freedom continues to burn brightly as thousands from all walks of life began gathering at ‘Himpunan Solidariti Bersama Gaza: Gelombang Malaysia, Palestin Merdeka’ at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, here today.

As early as 5 pm, a sea of people dressed in white, symbolising peace and unity, began filling the venue, waving Palestinian flags and carrying banners with messages such as ‘Don’t stop talking about Palestine’ as a show of determination to keep speaking out against Zionist atrocities.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, as the patron of Sumud Nusantara, is scheduled to arrive around 9 pm to deliver the keynote address after the presentation of a memorandum from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), which carries the voices of humanity from around the world.

Several Malaysian activists who joined the GSF voyage, including Cinta Gaza Malaysia chief executive officer Muhammad Nadir Al-Nuri Kamaruzaman, as well as celebrities Ardell Aryana, Heliza Helmi, and Zizi Kirana, are also expected to share their experiences at the gathering.

In addition, a special prayer session (solat hajat and munajat perdana) for Gaza was held after Maghrib as part of the programme. There was also a poetry recitation by media personality Ahmad Fedtri Yahya and a performance by Munsyid Malaysia.

Meanwhile, several attendees interviewed by Bernama shared their unwavering spirit and expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Siti Masruhah Dahli, 22, a student from Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), said she attended the gathering with a 30-member delegation, hoping the event would further ignite the spirit of humanity and empathy among Malaysians for the plight of Palestinians.

Civil servant Mohd Kamal Hashim, 55, said he came to show his support for the people of Palestine and the volunteers of the GSF mission.

“Tonight, we want to show the world that we are united for Palestine, Insya-Allah,” said Kamal, who was accompanied by 40 of his colleagues.

Meanwhile, for Nazmil Mohamad, 21, a student from India, joining the rally was more than just showing up, it was a stand for humanity. He said he was inspired to attend the rally after listening to Anwar’s speeches on the Palestinian cause.

Nazmil, who hails from Kerala, southern India, said he had also attended similar gatherings in his home country and felt compelled to lend his voice again.

“I think a lot of people don’t realise there’s a genocide happening. They are trying to normalise it, there’s no humanity at all,” he said, adding that he hopes more people will speak up for Palestine.

Israel’s military assault on Gaza since October 2023 has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women, children, and civilians. The bombardment also destroyed much of the enclave’s infrastructure, including hospitals and schools.

Currently, about 2.1 million Gaza residents are struggling with shortage of food, clean water, and medical care, as most residential areas and public buildings have been destroyed by the Israeli regime.

-- BERNAMA