CORONAVIRUS | Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia (Merhrom) said that it was willing to collaborate with all government ministries to help curb the spread of Covid 19 in Malaysia.
In a statement today, the group also said that many Rohingya refugees attended the Tabligh Ijtima at the Sri Petaling Mosque but based on information gathered from the community, only about 200 attended the full four-day programme.
This comes following reports that Malaysian authorities were scrambling to track down about 2,000 Rohingya men who attended the controversial religious gathering that is being blamed for a big spike in coronavirus cases across Southeast Asia.
It should be noted that in terms of exposure to the virus, it is not relevant whether or not the participants attended the full programme or only some of the days.
"Merhrom has been educating Rohingya refugees through its state committees throughout Malaysia about the symptoms of coronavirus and how to take precautions," said its president Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani.
He said that thus far, his group had been notified of four cases affecting members of the community.
"In the first case, a Rohingya refugee had symptoms, and I advised him to go to the hospital. He went to Hospital Ampang but was told to go to General Hospital Kuala Lumpur. However, the General Hospital asked for a letter from a clinic and then he returned home.
"In the second instance, three of the Rohingya refugees who attended the Tabligh Ijtima on Feb 28 went to Kajang Hospital for testing but were told to return home without testing," he said.
Zafar also called for a mobile clinic to test those suspected of symptoms, including their family, as many of them were afraid to go out due to fear of arrest.
He also called for an amnesty so that Rohingya refugees who still do not have UNHCR cards are not arrested.
He said many did not have cards due to the long process of determining their refugee status.
Zafar added that his group was continuously spreading awareness on precautions as well as persuading the Rohingya community to go for testing if they have symptoms.
"Merhrom will continue to monitor the Rohingya community and will do the necessary referrals. We encourage all refugees to contact the UNHCR hotline or us if they have any questions," he said.
He also requested that the UNHCR extend its hotline which currently operates from 7am-10pm to 24 hours.
More than 100,000 Rohingya live in Malaysia after fleeing from Myanmar, but they are considered illegal immigrants. - Mkini
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