Cancel invite to Trump immediately, Azmin tells Anwar

Selangor opposition leader Azmin Ali has urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to immediately withdraw the invitation to President Donald Trump to attend the Asean Summit later this month.

Azmin, who is also the state's Perikatan Nasional chairman, also urged the government to take urgent measures to ensure the safety, dignity and freedom of Malaysian citizens detained by Israeli forces following an attack on the Global Sumud Flotilla early today.

"No government should ever allow its people to be treated as bargaining chips in the face of oppression.

"Malaysia cannot remain silent or passive when its citizens are unjustly detained as to do so would be a disservice to our people and a stain on our nation’s honour," he said.

Azmin said the invitation to Trump was unacceptable, adding that taxpayers’ money should not be spent to roll out the red carpet and host "those who enable oppression".

"If the government fails to act, Malaysia will be complicit in silence and betrayal of its own people and principles," he said, adding that Malaysia as the chair of Asean must lead a united regional voice "to condemn this injustice".

Anwar has rejected calls to cancel the invitation to Trump, amid growing anger over Washington's open support for Israel and its latest peace plan for Gaza.

The controversial 20-point plan, announced by Trump after a meeting with Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, has received support from Washington's Arab allies but has been widely condemned by Palestinians as a new form of colonialism and a recipe for Palestinian surrender.

Anwar's government, however, has welcomed the plan.

Earlier, Federal Territories mufti Ahmad Fauwaz Fadzil came under fire from Muslims and pro-Palestinian supporters after his attempt to justify Anwar's red carpet welcome for Trump.

Fauwaz accused those opposed to Trump's presence as being clouded by "emotions and radical sentiments", adding that Muslims should welcome him in line with the Islamic principle of preserving peace.