Understand real issues behind Rohingya crisis - PAS leader

Amid anti-Rohingya sentiment, PAS central committee member Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi said people need to understand the real issues behind their predicament.

He added that all quarters, from national to international institutions, must also play their part.

"To the people, understand the real issues about ethnic cleansing, the fate of refugees and human trafficking syndicates, avoid taking advantage of a bad situation.

"To the Malaysian government, be on alert to control our borders but act with compassion towards refugees within the framework of a concrete and long-term resolution," Muhammad Khalil (photo), who is the eldest son of PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, said in a statement.

He added that the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) should also come to the aid of the Rohingya community.

"Set up a special fund to protect refugees. Organise humanitarian, health and education aids.

"To the United Nations and the world, continue to put pressure to ensure peace and freedom in the Arakan province in Myanmar.

"Commitment from all quarters is needed to resolve this humanitarian crisis for the future of the Rohingya and the stability of the Asean region," he said.

Meanwhile, Abdul Hadi (below) raised military action taken in other countries and questioned if the same can be applied to Myanmar, which does not recognise the Rohingya as citizens and has been expelling them from Arakan.

"Tough political actions have been taken in the past, such as military missions sent to resolve the crisis in Bosnia, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.

"Why cannot the same be done to Myanmar which has been more ruthless to its own people?" he said in a separate statement.

He said measures were needed so that the Rohingya can return to their country and not remain as refugees indefinitely.

He said Malaysia has been helping them but defended the country's recent decision to turn away a boat carrying some 200 Rohingya refugees.

"The recent move by security forces to distribute aid (to Rohingya refugees already in the country) while at the same time turning back a Rohingya refugee boat from entering the country amid the Covid-19 pandemic is appropriate," he said.

He stressed that PAS has a clear position on the Rohingya issue.

"PAS, together with BN... has its own voice in resolving the Rohingya refugee on religious and humanitarian grounds.

"This is unlike Pakatan Harapan whose sole voice is (former prime minister) Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the United Nations General Assembly while Harapan itself was embroiled in internal crisis while they await Mahathir to step down," 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 has since denied making such statements. - Mkini