Police Report Filed Over 71 Israel-Bound Containers At Malaysian Port; NGO Says Contents May Include Weapons

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On 7 August, Malaysian authorities blocked a shipment bound for Elbit Systems — Israel’s largest arms manufacturer.

The government called it a success.

Less than a month later, BDS Malaysia says it found 71 more containers heading the same direction; most of them are already at the port.

The civil society group filed a police report at Balai Polis Setiawangsa on Friday (4 Sept), citing documentation from the No Harbour for Genocide initiative (NHG).

NHG is an international grassroots campaign and resource network aimed at stopping maritime transfers of military equipment, weapons, dual-use goods, and energy supplies to Israel.

The report alleged that at least 71 containers destined for Israel had arrived or were heading to Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) in Johor.

BDS Malaysia said the recurrence of shipments suggested a routine supply chain — not a one-off incident.

They subsequently corrected an earlier post, clarifying that the vessel is Israel-bound rather than Israeli-flagged, and that the weapons claim remains suspected and unverified.

PM Had Vowed Malaysia Would Not Be Transit Route For Israel-Bound Trade

The Transport Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office had not issued statements as of the time of publication.

Prof Nazari Ismail of BDS Malaysia said the discovery “reveals an organised supply chain that directly undermines Malaysia’s solidarity with the Palestinian people.”

The group has called on the government to seize all Israel-bound containers currently at Malaysian ports, implement a due diligence mechanism for all vessels, and impose penalties on operators found in violation.

In August, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia “will never become a route for trade that could support or contribute to the atrocities of the Israeli regime.”

The containers were identified four weeks later.

Legal And Political Stakes

The incident carries weight beyond a single police report.

Malaysia enforces a strict ban on all Israeli-flagged vessels and cargo bound for Israel, introduced by Anwar in December 2023.

If the containers are confirmed as Israel-bound, their presence would constitute a potential violation of the Customs (Prohibition of Exports) Order.

Should the cargo be found to contain weapons components, it would also engage the Strategic Trade Act 2010, which tightly governs the transit and transhipment of military and dual-use technology through Malaysian territory.

The 7 August seizure at the same port established that such enforcement is operationally possible.

BDS Malaysia said the discovery of 71 further containers raises questions about whether that action was an exception rather than a system.

Support for the Palestinian cause cuts across political lines in Malaysia, and Anwar has made vocal opposition to Israeli military actions a cornerstone of his foreign policy.

For advocacy groups, the presence of Israel-bound cargo at a Malaysian port is not a logistical matter — it is a test of whether the government’s stated position translates into consistent enforcement.

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Police Report Filed Over 71 Israel-Bound Containers At Malaysian Port; NGO Says Contents May Include Weapons
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