In San Francisco, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim expressed concern about the ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip caused by Israel’s air and ground attacks. He addressed this issue at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Informal Dialogue and Working Lunch, attended by US President Joe Biden and leaders from other member economies, acknowledging the humanitarian crisis.
With more than 11,000 Palestinians, including over 7,800 women and children, killed and over 29,000 others injured, Anwar lamented the abandonment of moral responsibility contributing to the massive destruction and resulting climate calamity in Gaza.
Throughout his time in San Francisco, Anwar has continued to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Palestine, emphasizing its potential global impact. He denounced these actions as blatant violations of international law, asserting that developed nations must do more to help developing countries in the transition to clean energy.
Anwar, in addition to his role as Prime Minister, also serves as the Finance Minister, and has requested greater assistance from developed countries to facilitate the energy transition in developing and emerging economies. He emphasized the importance of ensuring a fair and equitable transition, highlighting Malaysia’s role as one of 17 recognized mega-diverse countries.
Malaysia’s contribution to global greenhouse emissions is currently at 0.658%, about 2/3 of a percent. Anwar emphasized the importance of addressing climate change to avoid the risk of displacing up to a quarter of the Malaysian population if no action is taken. He mentioned that Malaysia is working towards a cleaner, greener future through the National Energy Transition Roadmap and that the national oil company, Petronas, has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
During the APEC summit, Anwar commended President Biden and President Xi Jinping for their bilateral meeting, underscoring the importance of China-US engagement for the future of APEC. -Bernama
