KUALA LUMPUR – The Palestinian Embassy is currently in talks with the Malaysian government on transporting Palestinians currently placed at Wisma Transit Kuala Lumpur (WTKL) back to Egypt after they were brought into Malaysia last year, said the Palestinian ambassador to Malaysia, Walid Abu Ali.
The statement from the embassy came following the commotion involving several Palestinians at WTKL yesterday, which was brought under control without any physical altercations or injuries, according to the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF). However, there was minor damage to the furniture in the facility.
When contacted by Scoop, Walid said that some of the Palestinians who had been staying on the premises wanted to go back to Egypt and the matter was raised with the Malaysian authorities.
The commotion at the premises yesterday is also believed to have stemmed from their desire to “go home”, but since Palestine is under Israeli occupation, they expected to be transported to Egypt.
“We are still discussing and finding a way to send them back. (However) some of them do not want to wait.
“From day one, we have been trying to do our maximum (best) in trying to help as much as we can, in coordination with the Defence Ministry (Mindef) and Wisma Putra,” he said.
Walid said that he had reached out to Wisma Putra, Mindef and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) as they were the parties involved in flying in the Palestinians last year.
“I (have) officially written to them and I am awaiting their feedback,” he added when asked about the progress of the discussion.
Videos of the commotion have circulated on social media, drawing public attention. The videos show individuals burning and damaging property, with people yelling in the background and children running around the premises.
‘Feeling imprisoned’
Commenting further on the incident, Walid said that some of the Palestinians acted in such a way as they felt that “they have been imprisoned here for security (purposes)”.
However, the ambassador emphasised that the Palestinians need to understand that “they are guests in this country” and therefore need to respect the rules and laws of the host country.
He said that the Malaysian government has been trying its best to assist the Palestinians since they arrived in the country as their homeland is facing a genocide perpetrated by the Zionist Israeli regime.
“They were injured, and they are under a lot of pressure because they lost some family members. They have also lost their properties and houses.
“But that doesn’t mean that they have an excuse to react the way they did. They must behave nicely and they must appreciate what has been done to them (by Malaysia),” he added.
“It’s not our ethics, our morals, and our culture, and we are absolutely against what they have done yesterday,” he added.
Last August, Malaysia brought in 127 Palestinians for medical treatment, among them 41 injured victims of Israeli attacks on Gaza. While the injured were treated at Tuanku Mizan Armed Forces Hospital, their family members were housed at WTKL. – January 5, December 2025