Minister bends immigration rule for flag-waving Israeli

Harakahdaily

Oct 28: Youth and Sports minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek has personally intervened in Malaysia's visa regulations to allow an Israeli sportsman enter the country. 24-year old kickboxer Ilya Grad told Israeli-based Ynetnews that he had wanted to become the first Israeli to wave the Israel flag in Malaysia, which does not recognise the Israeli state in solidarity with millions of Palestinians displaced by the creation of the Zionist entity in 1948. "My friends and family asked if I was crazy when I just received the invitation. They asked why would I want to do it, told me not to go and warned that I could get in trouble. But I decided that I wanted to do it because of the sportive challenge and in order to be the first person to wave the flag of Israel there," Grad recalled. Grad was in Kuala Lumppur to participate in a kickboxing reality show "The Challenger Muaythai" organised by television channel AXN. He however said he was detained at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport for 25 hours because Malaysian immigration rules would not allow an Israeli passport holder to enter the country. Thanks to Shabery's intervention, Grad was eventually allowed to enter the country with a special visa, but his passport was not stamped. Waving the Zionist flag Despite being jeered and booed by the audience, the Russian-born Grad recalled how he insisted to wave Israel's 'Star of David' flag despite producers advising him to wave the Russian flag instead to avoid any incident. "They eventually gave in and waved our flag on prime time TV," he said. Grad, who last year won the 2010 Asian kickboxing championship, however lost this time around. "I left Malaysia with mixed feelings. The fact that I was allowed to enter Malaysia took us one step forward toward a life of peace, and yet I felt like I was behind enemy lines. But I can say for sure that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me," he added. Although Malaysia does not recognise the Zionist state, Israeli sportsmen had set foot in the country for various tournaments. In 1997, large protests greeted the Malaysian government's decision to allow the Israeli cricket team to participate world cricket championship the ICC Trophy. In July this year, English club Chelsea's Israeli player Yossi Benayoun was booed by tens of thousands of spectators during a soccer friendly with Malaysia, forcing the Football Association of Malaysia to apologise to the player and Chelsea.