While some western leaders have been shredding what little remains of the rules-based international order by bizarrely insisting that the appropriate way to respond to Israel’s illegal attacks on Iran is to state that “Israel does have the right to defend itself”, there is a different view in South-East Asia. The leaders of Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei have all condemned the aggression of the Israeli government, while Singapore has called for an immediate ceasefire.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was typically straightforward. “We must stand up for the rights of our friends, including Iran, which has been wronged,” he said on Sunday. “We defend Iran’s right to retaliate in order to uphold its national dignity.” Referring to that retaliation, he said: “Many European nations criticised and express outrage against Iran. But when Israel launched its attacks, they remained silent. I do not share that view.” His government would continue “to uphold the principle of defending the rights and sovereignty of all nations,” he added.
Brunei is a signatory – as is the UAE - to the joint statement by 21 Arab and Islamic countries which states their “categorical rejection and condemnation of Israel’s recent attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran since the 13th of June 2025 … while emphasising the necessity of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, adhering to the principles of good neighbourliness, and the peaceful settlement of disputes”.
Asked about the Israel-Iran conflict on Monday, the head of Indonesia’s Presidential Communication Office said: “In every conflict, Indonesia’s stance is always the same: condemning military aggression, encouraging de-escalation and ceasefire, and calling for a resolution through diplomacy and international law.”
The stance in Jakarta is unsurprising. Iran’s late president Ebrahim Raisi paid a state visit to Indonesia in 2023, and earlier this week local media quoted the Iranian ambassador as saying that a reciprocal invitation was being issued to President Prabowo Subianto. “If Prabowo accepts [Iranian] President Masoud Pezeshkian's invitation, we can arrange the perfect time for their meeting,” he told them, a little precipitously, some may think, given the current circumstances.
Mr Prabowo also appeared to speak for Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Tuesday, when the two appeared before reporters at Parliament House, Singapore, after a bilateral meeting this week, and said: “We emphasise the importance of peaceful solution negotiations, and we call for an immediate ceasefire.”
If the Israeli government wasn’t a pariah before, it is now
Only last month Mr Prabowo said that: "Indonesia has stated that once Israel recognises Palestine, Indonesia is ready to recognise Israel and open the diplomatic relationship." Don’t expect much more of that kind of talk in the region for now. The words “valid for all countries except Israel” are unlikely to disappear from Malaysian passports any time soon.
As it is, international sporting events have already been stripped from Malaysia and Indonesia over the past few years after prominent politicians objected to Israelis taking part. Singapore’s leadership probably keeps as quiet as possible about the city-state’s long and close ties to Israel, which have caused protests this year and last.
In fact, all countries in the region with significant Muslim minorities, and that includes Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines, need to tread carefully on the Israel-Iran conflict – which may be why their governments appear to have said or done little or nothing thus far.
The reason for that is opinion among the region’s about 250 million Muslims is, broadly speaking, pretty black and white: the government of Israel is – yet again – the aggressor, and Iran has the right to fight back. From my own experiences at conferences involving South-East Asian countries, I would suggest, however, it's important to note that the friendliness is with Iran as a state and as a fellow Muslim country.
It's not about approval of the Islamic Republic per se, nor its activities interfering in other states in the Middle East. First of all, distance matters. Iran’s support of the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon is in a faraway neighbourhood.
Second, the South-East Asian view would be that all of that, including Iran’s domestic political set-up, is none of their business. The principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other states applies, and Iran does not seek to intervene in South-East Asian states.
This is also why the fact that Iran is Shiite, a form of Islam that is a tiny minority and not exactly encouraged in the overwhelmingly Sunni region, is not an issue. That is seen as an internal matter for Iran, and doesn’t need to affect relations between states.
Seen from South-East Asia, Iran is a state which has for centuries been an important part of the Islamic world. There is no reason at all why it should not be treated warmly as part of the “friends with all” approach common in the region.
The US and its allies may regard it as “the principal source of regional instability and terror”, as the recent G7 statement put it, but that doesn’t persuade people in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta or Mindanao. After all, even if Tehran managed to achieve the nuclear bomb that it has always denied trying to build, it is highly unlikely that it would ever be pointed towards South-East Asia.
And, in any case, I have heard pointed out many times: Israel has a nuclear bomb – why shouldn’t Iran? The latter is simply not viewed as any kind of threat at all.
Support for Israel, on the other hand, has always been low to the point of unmeasurable among the Muslim masses in South-East Asia, even if some elites were open to co-operation on security matters, for instance. Now it is hard to find anyone who isn’t troubled by Israel’s constant flouting of international law and complete disregard for civilian life.
Iran has sometimes been said in the last few days to have “no friends”. But if Tehran looks east, it will find hundreds of millions who are, at the least, well-disposed towards them. And in the current conflict, there’s little doubt about whose side they are on.
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers Pickford (Everton), Pope (Burnley), Henderson (Manchester United)
Defenders Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Chilwell (Chelsea), Coady (Wolves), Dier (Tottenham), Gomez (Liverpool), James (Chelsea), Keane (Everton), Maguire (Manchester United), Maitland-Niles (Arsenal), Mings (Aston Villa), Saka (Arsenal), Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Foden (Manchester City), Henderson (Liverpool), Grealish (Aston Villa), Mount (Chelsea), Rice (West Ham), Ward-Prowse (Southampton), Winks (Tottenham)
Forwards: Abraham (Chelsea), Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Kane (Tottenham), Rashford (Manchester United), Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Sterling (Manchester City)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
New schools in Dubai
The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela
Edited by Sahm Venter
Published by Liveright
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Profile
Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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How to invest in gold
Investors can tap into the gold price by purchasing physical jewellery, coins and even gold bars, but these need to be stored safely and possibly insured.
A cheaper and more straightforward way to benefit from gold price growth is to buy an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Most advisers suggest sticking to “physical” ETFs. These hold actual gold bullion, bars and coins in a vault on investors’ behalf. Others do not hold gold but use derivatives to track the price instead, adding an extra layer of risk. The two biggest physical gold ETFs are SPDR Gold Trust and iShares Gold Trust.
Another way to invest in gold’s success is to buy gold mining stocks, but Mr Gravier says this brings added risks and can be more volatile. “They have a serious downside potential should the price consolidate.”
Mr Kyprianou says gold and gold miners are two different asset classes. “One is a commodity and the other is a company stock, which means they behave differently.”
Mining companies are a business, susceptible to other market forces, such as worker availability, health and safety, strikes, debt levels, and so on. “These have nothing to do with gold at all. It means that some companies will survive, others won’t.”
By contrast, when gold is mined, it just sits in a vault. “It doesn’t even rust, which means it retains its value,” Mr Kyprianou says.
You may already have exposure to gold miners in your portfolio, say, through an international ETF or actively managed mutual fund.
You could spread this risk with an actively managed fund that invests in a spread of gold miners, with the best known being BlackRock Gold & General. It is up an incredible 55 per cent over the past year, and 240 per cent over five years. As always, past performance is no guide to the future.
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre V6
Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
Price: Dh179,999-plus
On sale: now
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Sour%20Grapes
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Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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Company%20Profile
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THE SPECS
Touareg Highline
Engine: 3.0-litre, V6
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 340hp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh239,312
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
