KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called for a peaceful transition that focuses on mutual respect in Syria.
He said Malaysia has a duty to support an independent Syria and the government was monitoring it on a daily basis.
"Concerning development in Syria. We are monitoring this on a daily basis.
"We call for peaceful transition that respects the various communities. Sectarian divides must be rejected and unity must be a guiding principle to build the nation.
"We have a duty to support an independent and united Syria," he said in his speech at the annual meeting of the Russia-Islamic World Group of Strategic Vision here today.
Earlier today, Syria's new transitional prime minister said it was time for "stability and calm" in the country, two days after longtime president Bashar al-Assad was toppled by rebels in a lightning offensive.
The rebels appointed Mohammad al-Bashir as the transitional head of government to run the country until March 1.
Meanwhile, on the continued attack on Gaza, Anwar has described it as the tragedy of the century and called on an end to colonialism in the country.
"The genocide continues with impunity. This sign of barbarism in this period and age is sickening for us to observe and see on a daily basis. Children and women and their property plundered.
"I have said in Rio during the G20 summit in the presence of the president of the United States and many European leaders too, that the United Nations was set up as a body of independent nations against colonialism.
"In Muslim countries the fight against colonial masters were merely by the Muslim groups, the battle against imperialism is part and parcel of the Muslim struggle of the last century but now the world seems to condone and accept colonialism.
"You (Israel) colonise Palestine, you plundered their property, you squandered their wealth, and you dispossessed the land, property and life and the world seems to be silent. So, the moral fabric of global community is gone," he said.
Anwar said he has taken a position refusing to listen to the hectoring and lectures about human rights and democracy by western leaders as they are "disconnected" and "hypocritical".