RAMALLAH, April 26, 2017 (WAFA) – Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mahamad Tuesday said Palestinians must invest in youth because it has great potential, is educated and highly creative, which is necessary for establishing a Palestinian state.

The seminar was organized by Witness Center for Citizens Rights and Social Responsibility bringing together the renowned global thinker and former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahamad and Palestinian official Nabil Shaath.

The seminar came as part of the 100 global thinkers’ campaign and Mahamad began his speech by expressing his delight to be addressing Palestinian youth in Al-Quds University.

He stressed that Palestinians must invest in education and the natural resources of the Dead Sea, which the Palestinian people cannot benefit from until now due to the Israeli control of Palestinian resources.

He explained that having control over resources will push forward production, citing the Malaysian experience, in which some of its agricultural products were made of oils and kernels, enabling Malaysia to embark on a diversified economy and development process.

Mahamad said that building the state of Malaysia would not have been possible without the foundation of good governance based on democracy, freedom of opinion and expression.

Nabil Shaath stressed the importance of benefiting from the Malaysian experience in building the Palestinian state and achieving Palestinian national unity, taking into account the fundamental differences in the demographics between the two countries.

He added that democracy, which is based on party coalitions, is the most successful way to achieve Palestinian national unity and end the division that weakens the Palestinian people in the face of occupation.

M.H