Sekretariat Himpunan Ulama' Rantau Asia (SHURA)

10th February 2010

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SHURA PROTEST SACKING OF ENVOY AFTER IRAN ATOMIC VOTE

Secretariat for the Ulama Assembly Of Asia (SHURA) registers its shock and dismay over the dismissal of Malaysian envoy Mohd Arshad Manzoor Hussain, a 35-year diplomatic veteran to the UN nuclear watchdog for voting against a resolution rebuking Iran .

SHURA questions the government of Malaysia on its decision to replace the envoy as rotating head of the IAEA governing body later this week , only on account of him voting against censuring Iran as lobbied by Western powers.

This unprecedented removal of a senior serving diplomat on the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors smacks of Malaysia’s submissive stance involving Iran's disputed nuclear programme.

SHURA registers its strong protest by the report that the Nov. 27 vote had triggered Malaysian government’s action on her own diplomat official when getting signals from United States who has expressed concern over the envoy's “no” vote against the resolution.

WE are perturbed by the uncompromising loyalty of the Malaysian government to the United States when it comes to suppressing Iran.

Malaysia being the rotating chairman of IAEA should have stood its ground and not to submit to pressure from the US.

It is shameful for the Malaysian people to have its government who has stood consistently on the principal of non interference by foreign countries on any sovereign government , and yet took the opposite position against Iran who has the right over its uranium enrichment program..

SHURA questions the decision took by the Malaysian government since it reflects a departure from its historical opposition to any Western-driven international actions to pressure a country .

Hussain is right when he was surprised to observe some NAM members Egypt, Pakistan and South Africa abstain and therefore took the decision to vote “no” as that was the general sentiment of NAM members when confronting pressures from the Western powers.

SHURA call the Malaysian government for a reversal of the decision made to dismiss the envoy and reinstate him for a mandate to defend Malaysia’s stand not to submit to the hegemony of the western powers in dealing with a country.

The Malaysian government should have known the hypocrisy of the western powers when dealing with Israel as compared to how Iran and most Muslim countries are treated by them.

Abdul Ghani Samsuddin
Chairman
Secretariat for the Ulama Assembly of Asia. (SHURA)