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Emulate Turkey's consistent stand, Hadi tells govt

KUALA LUMPUR, April 14: PAS president Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang has urged the Malaysian government to emulate Turkey by taking a consistent stand on the nuclear row involving Iran and United States.

"I hope Malaysia can emulate Turkey's consistent and non-double standard approach, courageous and firm in demanding that Iran enjoys the same rights as other countries (to develop nuclear energy)," said the Marang MP.

During a short meeting in Washington with US president Barack Obama on Monday, prime minister Najib Razak was reported to have agreed with US efforts to isolate Iran over its nuclear power project.

"The President and the Prime Minister agreed on the importance of Iran strictly abiding by its obligations under the international nuclear non-proliferation regime," said a statement by the White House.

The statement also said Najib agreed that Iran should be sent a "clear signal".

"The two Leaders also agreed on the need for the international community to send a clear signal to Iran that while it has the right to develop peaceful uses of nuclear energy, Iran should not use this right to develop nuclear weapons capability as stated in UNSC and IAEA resolutions."

The move by Najib makes Malaysia the only Muslim country to have openly declared support for the Western campaign.

Earlier, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, speaking ahead of his meeting with Obama, rejected any attempts to impose sanctions on Iran, saying that the world should instead focus on Israel's huge nuclear arsenal.

Other countries such as China, Russia and Brazil, as well as several US neighbours in south America, have rebuffed Washington over its campaign against Tehran.

Double standards

Abdul Hadi, addressing the Dewan Rakyat today, said Washington's current campaign to isolate Iran over its nuclear project smacked of double standards.

Abdul Hadi also expressed disappointment over the US pressure although Iran had consistently stated that its nuclear project was to generate alternative and cheaper source of energy for domestic consumption.

This is in contrast with Israel, which has been slapped with any sanctions over its stockpile of nuclear weapons, he added.

"There are states like Israel which have not signed any nuclear proliferation treaty and yet Israel has this technology since the 60s.

"Stern action should have been taken against Israel, but it is Iran, which has openly stated its peaceful nuclear intentions, that is being relentlessly pressured and being punished with sanctions," he said.