KUALA LUMPUR: The government has imposed a ban on Israeli shipping company ZIM from docking at any Malaysian port, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today.
He said the Transport Ministry was set to take immediate action by implementing a permanent prohibition on the company, effective immediately.
"At the same time, the government has also decided not to accept any ships flying the Israeli flag to dock in the country.
"Additionally, a ban has been imposed on any ships en route to Israel from loading cargo at Malaysian ports. Both of these restrictions take immediate effect," he said in a statement.
The ban, he said, revoked all previous Cabinet decisions which granted permission for ZIM's vessels to dock in Malaysia.
"For the record, the Cabinet began permitting ships owned by this company to dock in Malaysia in 2002.
"In 2005, the Cabinet at that time granted permission for those ships to land in Malaysia. However, the current government has decided to revoke all previous Cabinet decisions.
"The government of the day has decided to cancel all previous Cabinet decisions."
Anwar said the ban is a direct response to Israel's actions, which have been deemed a violation of basic humanitarian principles and international law through continuous massacres and atrocities against the Palestinian people.
"Malaysia is confident that the decision will not affect Malaysia's trade activities."
Previously, it was reported that shipping company ZIM was scheduled to dock in Malaysia on Dec 26.
This has prompted calls by various groups for the government to take immediate action, with petitions made to ban Israeli-owned ships from docking in the country.