Malaysia Said to Seize Another Three Containers Bound for IsraelAuthorities in Malaysia have seized several more Israel-bound shipments at one of the country's biggest ports, according to people familiar with the matter, an apparently new level of scrutiny in a nation where anti-Israeli sentiment runs high.
Three containers bound for Ashdod Port south of Tel Aviv were detained at Malaysia's Tanjung Pelepas port in mid-August and to date have not been released as authorities investigate their contents, the people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be identified because they're not authorized to speak publicly.
The seizures follow an initial detainment of another container on Aug. 7 that originally came from the Philippines and that was suspected by the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency of containing weapons because it was headed to Elbit Systems Ltd., an Israeli defense technology firm, according a statement from the agency at the time. Tracking data from Hapag-Lloyd AG, the container line carrying the cargo, show the shipment still at Tanjung Pelepas.
The other three seizures happened on Aug. 19, the people said. Those containers housed electric bike parts that were being shipped from a Chinese manufacturer, Chongqing Mobimax Technology Co., according manifests seen by Bloomberg News. Tracking data from the liner carrying those cargoes, A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S, also show them still at the busy transshipment port almost a month later.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, commenting on the Aug. 7 seizure, said the Southeast Asian nation would not be a conduit to trade flows that can support or contribute to "the cruelty of the Israeli regime." Malaysia doesn't have diplomatic or trade relations with Israel, reflecting its longstanding position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and therefore prohibits imports from and exports to Israel under its customs legislation.
The legislation however excludes transit goods. Representatives for Anwar's office didn't respond to a request for comment.
A spokesperson from the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency said the matter is currently under investigation and the agency was unable to comment further. The Royal Malaysian Customs Department, whose legislation the agency uses to conduct enforcement at ports, declined to comment.
The Johor Port Authority, which oversees ports in the Malaysian state, also said the matter is u
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