Malaysia, Brunei to cooperate on Shariah judiciary

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) — Malaysia and Brunei have agreed to cooperate on their Shariah judiciary, while urging the international community to halt "heinous crimes" in Palestine.

During a three-day visit by Bruneian Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, which concluded on Friday, he and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed "confidence" that the agreement on their Shariah courts' cooperation would "strengthen, develop and promote cooperation" in exchange and research programs between the two nations.

While discussing Palestine, the two Southeast Asian leaders noted with concern that this year marks seven-and-a-half decades since the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homes and lands after the founding of Israel, an event that Palestinians also call the "Nakba."

Anwar and Bolkiah called on the UN Security Council and other international organizations to demand Israel halt its "heinous crimes against humanity" and "apartheid policies" against Palestinians, said a joint statement, released by Malaysian Foreign Ministry.

Calling for an end to the occupation by Israel to achieve a lasting peace in Middle East, they "reaffirmed their position that Palestine has the right and deserves to be independent and have sovereignty based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital."

On Myanmar, which has been ruled by a military junta since a coup in 2021, the two sides expressed strong concern over ongoing violence in the nation.

Anwar and Bolkiah urged the junta to fully implement a consensus proposed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to address the political crisis.