KUBANG PASU, Dec 24 — Although Malaysia’s stance in rejecting United States action to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel will have an impact on the country’s economy to some extent but the government is not afraid to champion the rights of Muslims in Palestine.

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Othman Aziz said the government was firm in rejecting the move to save Jerusalem from being controlled by Israel as it was considered the third holy place of Muslims in the world.

"We (Malaysia) have expressed our view to reject such recognition on various platforms such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the United Nations Security Council (UN).

"We do not worry the rejection impacting on our economy. As an Islamic nation, we cannot keep silent,” he told reporters after a Town Hall programme to listen to the problems of Jerlun residents in Kodiang, today.

The United Nations General Assembly declared the United States move to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel as invalid after 128 countries voted to reject the United States’s move,  with nine other countries supporting. — Bernama