SHAH ALAM: The Palestinian ambassador to Malaysia Walid Abu Ali has denied that the outburst by some Palestinian civilians was caused by a lack of basic services and medical treatment.
"The injured Palestinians have been provided with all the requirements. Unfortunately, some of them are emotional and under a lot of pressure," he told the press at the Palestinian Diaries event at Karangkraf Auditorium today.
This was after two Palestinian women were filmed causing a commotion and damaging public property at Wisma Transit.
However, the ambassador also confirmed the contents of a recently circulated letter from the embassy to Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. The letter detailed several complaints by the Palestinians at Wisma Transit, such as communication to Egypt and Gaza, education for children and freedom of movement.
The letter also pointed to the lack of a translator, which had resulted in miscommunication between patients and medical staff.
"That has something to do with trying to push the Defence Ministry to understand the situation (the Palestinians) are in," Walid said.
He also denied that the individuals involved would be forced to return due to the incident.
"We and the Defence Ministry officers have agreed that we can ask them. If they want to go home, they can go home. If they want to stay until they are treated as needed, they can stay.
"Nobody is forcing them to go back home. It is their decision and we're waiting to get their answer, " he added.
The ambassador nevertheless apologised again for the incident.
On Saturday (Oct 5), Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said his ministry and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin had been working closely with the Palestinian embassy in Kuala Lumpur in response to the complaints in the letter.
One of the women in the video, Aminah Muhammad Nafi Jamal Abd Rabah, has since apologised, explaining that the incident occurred due to stress, adding that she had not been able to contact her child in Gaza for a week.