PUTRAJAYA, May 8 — Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government is prepared to engage with the United States (US) counterparts to understand the details regarding possible sanctions against Malaysian companies.
He said the matter was discussed briefly in the Cabinet meeting today and the issue attracted the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“We want to assert that Malaysia, as a sovereign nation first and foremost, has complied with the UN (United Nations) sanctions, but when it comes to unilaterally applied sanctions, we have to access these situations.
“We will have the engagement and consequently the respective ministers will issue statements,” he said at a press conference here today.
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On May 3, it was reported that the US Treasury Department’s top sanctions official will travel to Singapore and Malaysia this week as Washington seeks to combat funding for Iran and its proxy groups as well as evasion of its sanctions on Russia.
Asked on the issue of money moving to Iran and its proxies, including Hamas through the Malaysian financial system, Fahmi said the issue would also be raised when engaging with the US counterparts to understand the details.
It was reported during the visit of US Treasury’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, Brian Nelson, is expected to discuss US concerns and the sanction risks such activity poses.
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The visit comes as the US Treasury has increased its focus on terrorist financing through South-east Asia including through fundraising efforts and illicit Iranian oil sales. — Bernama
