JOHOR BAHRU – A Palestinian student attending Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) does not know the fate of his relatives in Gaza and can only wait for news on whether they are still alive.
Mohammed Z. M. Qaddoura, 33, a PhD student in educational technology, said the last time he was in contact with his family members there was last Monday.
“A total of 53 of my family members and relatives are still in Gaza, including my father. Now I can only wait for a message on whether they have been martyred or not. We (Palestinians) here are preparing ourselves for that possibility.
“The Israeli regime no longer gives warnings for its attacks and they continue to bomb residential areas that have up to 20 houses. This proves that they really want to wipe out as many Palestinians as possible in Gaza,” he said.
Mohammed, who has been living in Malaysia for four years and can speak Malay, spoke to reporters after the UTM Solidarity Rally with Palestine at the university today.
The father of a five-year-old boy said that although he is safe here, he is feeling unsettled because he is powerless to do anything to help ease the suffering of his homeland.
UTM Student Representatives Council (MPP) president Nadratul Huda Ahmad said the rally was attended by over 1,000 people, comprising UTM students and staff, as well as members of the general public.
She said the peaceful assembly, organised by the MPP, was part of the second day of the implementation of the ‘UTM Stands with Palestine’ programme, which started yesterday.
“Besides showing solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza, this programme aims to develop students who are holistic, excelling not only in academic aspects but also grasping universal issues,” she said.
UTM has 31 Palestinian students comprising 13 pursuing PhDs, Masters (two) and Bachelors (16) courses.
In a separate development, Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) football club chief executive officer Alistair Edwards said Tunku Mahkota of Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim had ordered that all JDT Football Club ticket collections for home matches until the end of the season be channelled to the Palestinian humanitarian fund.
“This club is deeply saddened by the loss of innocent lives in the ongoing war in the Middle East,” he said in a post on the Tunku Mahkota of Johor’s Facebook page today. – November 3, 2023