TSU KOON URGES OBAMA TO SUPPORT UN PEACE INITIATIVE ON GAZA

PENANG (Malaysia), Jan 7 (Bernama) -- Gerakan president Dr Koh Tsu Koon is
urging United States president-elect Barack Obama to support the United Nations
peace initiative on the Gaza area of Palestine.

The Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Malaysian People's Movement Party or
Gerakan) is a political party in Malaysia and is part of the ruling Barisan
Nasional (National Front) coalition.


Koh, the former Penang Chief Minister, said Obama should add his voice
to the chorus of world opinion to stop Israel from committing further atrocities
in Gaza.

"At the very least, Obama should lend his voice to the call by Malaysian
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for a special session of the
United Nations General Assembly to discuss Israel's invasion of Gaza," he said
in a press statement here Wednesday.

He said any further delay by the UN and US to intervene would allow more
innocent lives to be sacrificed which would lead to more hatred and more
desperate acts of mutual retaliation.

"Even though he is not yet officially the President, Obama presently enjoys
great respect throughout the world and his voice will add weight to the UN to
act soonest posible," he said.

Meanwhile, he said, the UN should immediately work out a combined political,
social and economic solution to the Gaza conflict.

He said the assurance for an independent Palestinian state must be fully
realised while safeguard must be provided for both Palestinians and Israelis to
live peacefully in their respective areas and also together in mixed areas.

-- BERNAMA