PM says Indian government has not said anything.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he is not retracting his comments on Kashmir at the 74th UN General Assembly despite an Indian trade body urging its members to stop imports of Malaysian palm oil.
“What is important is their government has not said anything, so we will see what their government policy is going to be like,” he told reporters on the boycott call by Mumbai-based Solvent Extractors’ Association (SEA) of India.
When asked whether his remark during the assembly would strain the diplomatic relationship with India, Mahathir said he has to “speak up”.
“Malaysia is a trading nation, we need markets, so we are nice to people. However, we must also speak up for the people, so sometimes what we say is liked by some, but disliked by some,” he said at the parliament lobby.
Mahathir also said the government is not planning to lodge any report with the World Trade Organisation against potential trade sanctions on Malaysia.
“We speak through our mind, and we don’t retract and change. We felt that the people of Kashmir have benefitted from the resolution of the UN, and all we are saying is that it should all abide, not just Pakistan, even the US, should abide by the resolution of the UN, otherwise what is the good of having the UN,“ he said.
Mahathir had spoken at the UN General Assembly about the need to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir conflict, urging for the problems to be solved peacefully.
He said: “Now, despite UN (United Nations) resolution on Jammu and Kashmir, the country has been invaded and occupied. There may be reasons for this action, but it is still wrong. The problem must be solved by peaceful means. India should work with Pakistan to resolve this problem. Ignoring the UN would lead to other forms of disregard for the UN and the Rule of Law.”
His remarks, however, caused backlash, and started a #BoycottMalaysia campaign on social media.
On Monday, India’s top vegetable oil trade body Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEAI) had asked its members to stop buying palm oil from Malaysia, as a “punishment” for criticising India over its policy toward Kashmir.
Malaysia is the world’s second-largest producer and exporter of palm oil after Indonesia.
India was Malaysia’s third-largest export destination in 2018 for palm oil and palm oil-based products.