ID :
39629
Thu, 01/08/2009 - 22:39
Auther :

M`SIAN MINISTER URGES COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES TO DENOUNCE ISRAEL OFFENSIVE

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 (Bernama) -- Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
(CPA) chairman Mohd Shafie Apdal has urged commonwealth countries to denounce
the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

"I have also sent letters to those countries to condemn the action," he told
reporters after delivering the Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry's new
year message at Sultan Abdul Samad Building here.

He said the letters dispatched on Jan 5 were also sent to both United States
President George W. Bush and President-elect Barack Obama and British Prime
Minister Gordon Brown.

He said the Israeli attack should be condemned to see an end of the cruelty
which had caused the loss of hundreds of Palestinian lives.

On the special parliament session on Monday to discuss the issue, Shafie who
is Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister, said he welcomed the government's
move.

"And I feel there is need to put pressure not only on Israel but also United
States because what we are seeing in Gaza is very crucial, which has seen many
deaths including innocent children," he said.

On the campaign planned by the Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia to
boycott Jewish goods at National Mosque Friday, he said: "The move should be
studied and looked at from the perspective of an economic pressure because
United States is Malaysia's trade partner."

In his speech earlier, Shafie said that this year, the ministry would
venture into the commercialisation of arts, culture and heritage which were seen
as a contributor to the country's economy.

"The industry has become among the lucrative sources of income for some
neighbouring contries, and I believe Malaysia also can turn the industry into an
industry which can play an important role in the creation of a strong economy
for the people who are involved in it," he said.

He said the ministry had set a RM1 billion income target from arts, culture
and heritage by 2013 following the current expansion of global environment as
well as the country's richness in culture, arts and heritage.
-- BERNAMA


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