Leaders shouldn't avoid Rohingya issue because it's unpopular - Anwar

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said leaders should not avoid the Rohingya issue simply because it is unpopular.

While he acknowledged that politics must consider the people's sentiment, but not at the expense of humanitarian considerations.

"I hope senior leaders (orang lama) talk about this, leaders should not remain silent," he said.

Anwar pointed out that some leaders had even held rallies for the Rohingya cause, in an apparent reference to a gathering participated by both Umno and PAS in 2016 to protest the persecution of ethnic Rohingya in Myanmar. 

"Last time, there was a rally with banners in a roaring stadium but now when the people are unhappy they are silent.

"It is true that in politics, we need to follow the people's sentiment but we must also defend what is right and this is a humanitarian matter.

"We make Islam great and strong by taking care of people's relationship with Allah and the relationship between people," he said in an online lecture.

Anwar proposed the creation of a "border area" to temporarily house Rohingya refugees while at the same time pressing Myanmar which does not recognise the community as its citizens.

"I suggest we set up a border area for them while we put pressure (on Myanmar).

"How can Myanmar cast out its people like that and we are the one who must bear," he said.

The spotlight fell on the Rohingya issue again after the Royal Malaysian Navy turned back a refugee ship carrying some 200 people on April 16. 

A day before that, it was reported that at least two dozen people had died after a ship carrying 382 Rohingya refugees was repeatedly turned back by Malaysian authorities.

They were eventually rescued by the Bangladeshi coastguard, which said they had been adrift for two months.

Unverified posts by Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani, a Rohingya leader, which purportedly criticised Malaysia and insulted its people had sparked a backlash.

He had denied ever making such posts. 

Anwar, who is also the Port Dickson MP, said looking out for others does not mean that it comes at the expense of Malaysians.

"Why do we support Palestine, whose people are murdered, brutalised and their lands seized? We support the Rohingya based on the same principles.

"Does that mean that we do it at the expense of our own people? No," he said. - Mkini