HM4P Team Advised To Return Based On Egyptian Govt's Views - Malaysian Deputy FM

KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 (Bernama) -- The decision to advise the Humanitarian Mission 4 Palestine (HM4P) team to return to Malaysia and not continue its mission to Gaza was made after taking into account the views of the Egyptian government. Deputy Foreign Minister Kamarudin Jaffar said the Egyptian government had informed that they could not assure that HM4P would be safe in Gaza and the team was advised to abandon the mission due to security factors. "The Egyptian government has stated that the safety of the team cannot be assured,” he told Bernama here Friday. Kamarudin was commenting on Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's statement which was posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday, in which he had urged the HM4P team to return to Malaysia due to uncertainties in Gaza. According to Kamarudin, the ministry has also taken note of the Egyptian government's view as the HM4P delegation led by Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim was going to Gaza via Egypt. He said the Foreign Ministry and the Malaysian Embassy in Cairo had tried their best to help but all decisions were also subject to security considerations. "I agree with the Deputy Prime Minister that it is best for the delegation to return to Malaysia for their safety, especially in Gaza," he said. The HM4P humanitarian mission, organised by the Umno Welfare Bureau, chaired by Abdul Azeez, left for Jordan on June 16 to deliver food and medical aid to al-Quds and Gaza, but to date, the group has been denied entry into Gaza, Palestine. UMNO or the United Malays National Organisation is Malaysia's largest, main Malay and national political party. -- BERNAMA