KUALA LUMPUR: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail will leave it to the Defence Services Asia (DSA) and National Security (Natsec) Asia 2024 exhibition organisers to respond to a call to prohibit the participation of vendors supporting Israel.
"Let the organisers respond to that," he told reporters briefly after attending the opening ceremony of the 18th DSA and Natsec Asia 2024.
He was commenting on a call by a Bersatu leader for the Malaysian government to prohibit participation from two companies allegedly involved in supplying weapons to the Israeli military.
Bersatu's international bureau chief Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah had expressed the party's concern over the involvement of the two companies in the event.
Saifuddin, who is a former foreign minister, added that the involvement of both companies contradicted with the firm stance taken by the Malaysian government and its people who supported and stood in solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people for a long time.
He had said the inclusion of the two vendors would be an attempt to normalise relations with Zionists.
The 18th edition of DSA and Natsec is held at Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec) starting today until May 9.
It saw the participation of over 1,324 companies from 60 countries showcasing their defence and security technologies.