KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has expressed full support for the speech delivered by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the D-8 Summit in Cairo on Thursday.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that Prabowo, who was sworn in as president of the republic on Oct 20, had articulated the harsh realities surrounding the issue of Palestinian statehood.
"President Prabowo has delivered a bitter but vital truth that must be addressed wisely and prudently, particularly concerning the rights of an independent and sovereign Palestine.
"Thus, Malaysia firmly supports his chairmanship of the D-8 in 2026," he said in a social media post on Friday.
Anwar also shared a four-minute, 17-second video of Prabowo's speech at the D-8 Summit, which concluded on Thursday.
Additionally, Anwar stated that he was ready to foster closer cooperation with Indonesia to ensure the D-8 becomes a more dynamic and inclusive organisation.
"As neighbouring nations sharing cultural ties, Malaysia will stand together in this historic moment to amplify the voices of the people in developing countries," he added.
Established in Istanbul on June 15, 1997, the D-8 is an organisation of developing Islamic nations, forming an economic development alliance comprising Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey.
Delivering his speech at the opening session of the 11th D-8 Summit in Cairo on Thursday, Prabowo highlighted the reality that Muslim countries are not given due respect.
He said Muslim countries, with a population of 2 billion people, must strive for close cooperation among themselves, speak with one voice, and avoid being divided.
He highlighted conflicts among Muslim leaders in Sudan, Libya, and Yemen, questioning, "When will this end?" and remarked, "Divide et impera has been the law of imperialism for thousands of years, and we are being divided every day."
"How can we help the Palestinians if we quarrel among ourselves?
"I attend so many summits, and all we do is issue declarations of support," he added.
In his speech, Prabowo emphasised the need for unity and cooperation, stating,"Indonesia will do its best in whatever way we can, but I call for unity and cooperation."
"Let us, as Muslim countries, realise that we are not being respected. They do not care about our voice… human rights are not for Muslim people.
"This is the reality. This is very sad, but let us do what we can. Let us face reality and be honest with ourselves," he said.