Kid's virtual assembly through Roblox for Palestine, a brilliant idea - Zulkifli

SHAH ALAM - Former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri commends the creative initiative of Malaysian children who have used a Roblox game to express their solidarity with Palestinian people.

"I'm quite pleased with the young Malaysian minds who started an online peace rally on Roblox in support of Palestine. Your commitment to promoting peace, preventing genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity, as well as raising awareness on one of the most popular gaming platforms, is admirable.

"It is heartening to observe Gen Alpha and Gen Z's passion for global peace and justice.This reminds us that the Palestinian issue transcends borders, signifying the spirit of Muslim children's struggle for the land of Baitulmaqdis and Masjidil Aqsa.

"May our children always hold empathy for the land of Baitulmaqdis," Zulkifli said in a video entry on his Facebook account.

He also congratulated and commended the children involved in producing the game, expressing that it reflects the children's sentiments and their desire for peace and the security of Palestine and Gaza.

This was a stark difference from what was expressed by Rt Revd Datuk Danald Jute, who said not to drag young children into the complexities of the war in the Middle East.

The Bishop of Kuching and President of Anglican Mission Schools also appealed to the respective principals, headmasters, and headmistresses in Sarawak to exercise restraint on any matter involving the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.

Danald, who is also the chairman of the Association of Churches Sarawak, was referring to the Education Ministry’s directive for all government education institutions to observe a solidarity week from October 29 to November 3 in support of the Palestinian cause.

In response to Danald, a Malaysian based in London and a Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) activist, Dr Roland Loh rebutted the former's stance, stating that: "We, as peace-loving Malaysians of all faiths, fully agree with His Excellency, the Right Reverend Datuk Danald, on the need for a peaceful resolution.

"When we talk of peace, we call for it; we appeal for it, to quote Dr Martin Luther King Jr: "True peace is not merely the absence of tension. It is the presence of justice"," he said.

He also "gifted" Danald with Archbishop Desmond Tutu's famous quote, "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.