KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pix) said he is not retracting his comments on Kashmir at the 74th UN General Assembly despite an Indian trade body urging its members to stop imports of Malaysian palm oil.

“What is important is their government has not said anything, so we will see what their government policy is going to be like,“ he told reporters on the boycott call by Mumbai-based Solvent Extractors’ Association (SEA) of India.

When asked whether his remark during the assembly would strain the diplomatic relationship with India, Mahathir said he has to “speak up”.

“Malaysia is a trading nation, we need markets, so we are nice to people. However, we must also speak up for the people, so sometimes what we say is liked by some, but disliked by some,” he said at the parliament lobby.

Mahathir also said the government is not planning to lodge any report with the World Trade Organisation against potential trade sanctions on Malaysia.

“We speak through our mind, and we don’t retract and change. We felt that the people of Kashmir have benefitted from the resolution of the UN, and all we are saying is that it should all abide, not just Pakistan, even the US, should abide by the resolution of the UN, otherwise what is the good of having the UN,“ he said.

Mahathir had in September commented on the Kashmir conflict during his United Nations General Assembly address.

“The helplessness of the world in stopping atrocities inflicted on the Rohingyas in Myanmar had reduced the regard for the resolution of the UN. Now, despite UN resolution on Jammu and Kashmir, the country has been invaded and occupied,” he said.