Syrians in Malaysia marked a historic moment as they celebrated the end of the Assad family’s decades-long rule. President Bashar al-Assad’s resignation, confirmed by ally Russia, and the peaceful transfer of power signaled a new chapter for Syria.
A video circulating on social media platform X captured Syrians gathering outside the Syrian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur to replace the Syrian national flag with the iconic rebel flag.
The rebel flag features three horizontal stripes in green, white, and black, adorned with three red stars on the white stripe. This is distinct from the national flag under the Assad regime, which has red, white, and black stripes with two green stars in the white stripe.
Social media user Wael Qarssifi expressed optimism about Syria’s future, writing, “No more Assadism, no more forever. Soon, our Malaysian brothers and sisters will all be welcome to visit us in a free Syria.”
The gathering at the embassy also saw Syrians sharing food and offering prayers, reflecting gratitude and hope for a brighter future.
Meanwhile, TikTok user alhor298 shared a video from Aleppo Citadel, raising the Malaysian flag in honor of the support and kindness extended by Malaysians. The video was captioned, “Out of my love for Malaysia and its people, I raised the Malaysian flag in Aleppo Citadel.”
Globally, similar celebrations erupted among the Syrian diaspora, according to Sinar Harian. Many dismantled statues of Hafez al-Assad, Bashar’s father and the founder of the Baath Party regime, which had held power for over 50 years.
This transformative moment followed a rapid rebel advance, leading to the capture of key cities, including Damascus. Reports indicate that Bashar al-Assad fled Syria after negotiating a peaceful handover of power, a process facilitated by Russia.
Bashar’s rule, which began in 2000, was marred by widespread violence. His crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2011 escalated into a catastrophic civil war, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths and displacing millions of Syrians.
Malaysia, known for its humanitarian policies, has provided refuge to a small number of Syrians escaping the conflict. While exact figures are unavailable, Syrians are part of Malaysia’s larger refugee population, which exceeds 185,000 people.
The Malaysian Foreign Ministry assured that all registered Malaysians in Syria are safe and encouraged them to stay updated through the E-Konsular platform.