PUTRAJAYA Sept 16, 2026 – Malaysian authorities have detained additional Israel-bound shipping containers at one of the country’s busiest ports, prompting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to restate that Malaysia will not serve as a transit route for goods that could support Israel’s military operations.
In a post on X on September 15, Anwar quoted a Bloomberg report and declared: “Malaysia’s position is clear and unequivocal. We will not allow our country to be used as a conduit for any shipment that supports or contributes to Israel’s military capabilities and its atrocities against Palestinians and other innocent lives.” He added that suspicious cargo would be inspected under Malaysian law and that “decisive action will be taken” if violations are found.
The latest detentions occurred on August 19 at the Port of Tanjung Pelepas in Johor. Three containers carrying electric bicycle parts from Chinese manufacturer Chongqing Mobimax Technology, destined for Ashdod Port south of Tel Aviv, remain held while authorities examine their contents. Shipping data from Maersk showed the cargo still at the port nearly a month later.
These follow an earlier seizure on August 7 of a container that arrived from the Philippines and was bound for Elbit Systems, an Israeli defence technology company. The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency suspected the shipment contained weapons and said it may have breached the Customs (Prohibition of Exports) Order 2023, which bars direct or indirect exports to Israel. That container also remains at Tanjung Pelepas.
Malaysia has no diplomatic or official trade relations with Israel. It banned Israeli-flagged ships and vessels heading to Israel from using its ports in December 2023. The country is a founding member of The Hague Group, a coalition of nations that seeks to enforce International Court of Justice rulings and prevent arms transfers that could be used in alleged violations of international law in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Tanjung Pelepas is a major transshipment hub on the Strait of Malacca, handling large volumes of cargo moving between Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Officials have not released the detained containers while investigations continue. Representatives for the shipping lines and manufacturers involved have declined comment or did not respond to inquiries.
Anwar has consistently framed such enforcement as part of Malaysia’s support for Palestinians and adherence to international law. The recent actions signal tighter scrutiny of transit cargo even when goods are not formally exported from Malaysia.
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