AMBASSADOR URGES MALAYSIA TO PLAY A ROLE IN SUDAN'S PEACE, REBUILDING PROCESS

By Rohani Ibrahim

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- Sudan has urged Malaysia as a friendly nation and one of the leading Muslim nations to play a role in its peace and stability process.

The ambassador of Sudan to Malaysia, Hassan Abdelsalam Omer, said Sudan looks forward to Malaysia playing a strategic part in the country’s rebuilding process. 

 “I plan to bring up this matter with officials at the Africa Division of the Malaysian Foreign Ministry next week,” he told reporters at the embassy here Monday.

According to Omer, Sudan and Malaysia are close friends. Diplomatic ties between Kuala Lumpur and Khartoum have been established since 1990 with Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) playing a major role in the country’s oil industry since 1995.

Earlier media reports said Petronas operated in South Sudan via its subsidiary, Petronas Carigali Nile Ltd (PCNL), since 2011 before announcing its withdrawal from its operations in August this year. 

The ambassador said there are about 3,000 Sudanese in Malaysia and 1,800 of them are students as Malaysia is a preferred education destination for the country.

Elaborating on the current situation in Sudan, Omer said the government of Sudan urgently calls on the international community and friendly nations to formally designate the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as a terrorist organisation; to unequivocally condemn its actions and hold the militia and its sponsors accountable for their crimes. 

“We also demand that all foreign backers of the RSF immediately cease arms supplies and financial support for mercenary activities in Sudan.” 

He said the continued silence and inaction of the international community will only embolden the RSF and its regional sponsors, allowing them to persist in committing massacres and genocide against innocent Sudanese civilians and impunity in complete disregard for human life and international law. 

Omer said since Oct 20, over 40 towns and villages across Eastern  Al-Jazirah and the Al-Butana regions have endured brutal retaliatory assaults and widespread violence by the RSF Janjaweed militia. 

The violence has resulted in hundreds of deaths, the majority of whom are women and children, he added. 

In August this year, Malaysia hosted  "Sudan – The Forgotten War" conference in which Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan highlighted the severe and underreported humanitarian challenges facing Sudan, emphasising the need for immediate global action.

Sudan's humanitarian crisis resulted in over 11 million internally displaced persons and 18 million people, or 37 per cent of the population, facing severe hunger, the conference was told. 

Malaysia has consistently supported Sudan’s peace process and advocated for its development through international platforms such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the United Nations. 

Malaysia’s humanitarian efforts in Sudan include aiding the Darfur refugees, offering scholarships to Sudanese students, and providing technical training through the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme.

-- BERNAMA