Deputy Federal Territories Minister Edmund Santhara has claimed that hate speech and xenophobia messages targeting the Rohingya community on social media originate from netizens linked to DAP.
"To be honest with you, I ran through all the social media (messages), and I saw it as being sponsored by politically motivated groups," he told Malaysiakini and KiniTV without further elaboration in an interview on Thursday.
The deputy minister was asked if the xenophobia targeting Rohingyas is a growing concern for the government.
When asked to elaborate on his allegation later, Santhara pointed his fingers at the people associated with DAP.
"Why did I say (these groups) are politically motivated? You can see that the people who are talking about it were originating from the DAP side.
"I wouldn't say (the hate speech and xenophobia targeting the Rohingya community were coming from) DAP as a party but the people associated in their circle," he said.
"Even though some accused DAP's keyboard warriors, (it is) not DAP, but the smoke is coming from people around them. There will be no smoke without fire.
"(I) hope these cybertroopers will put our nation first and then only (their) political agenda. Political agenda can wait for Dewan Rakyat (which will convene on May 18).
Santhara said that he does not see it as people are getting angry at the Rohingya community but some people are getting influenced by the messages sent out.
"But for me, when I get a video, I would cross-check its source. So, if people do fact-checking, they will understand if it is fake news or not," he said.
Santhara is chairing the Federal Territories Crisis Management Centre (CMC) looking into the 17,000 Rohingyas people under an enhanced movement control order in Selayang.
Before the lockdown, the community largely worked or conducted business at the nearby Kuala Lumpur wholesale market and surrounding vicinity.
There has been a surge in anti-Rohingya comments on social media in Malaysia recently after authorities prevented boats ferrying Rohingya refugees from landing.
This action, however, invited criticism from many parties, including Amnesty International, which lambasted the authorities for barring the refugees from entering the country.
The Rohingya community in Malaysia was reportedly shocked by the volume of social media messages and posts calling them to return to their country.
Malaysiakini reported Santhara as saying the government would not allow illegal employment of workers at the wholesale market during the post-Covid-19.
Santhara also indicated that it would not be wise for the government to allow the Rohingya to continue residing at Selayang when they are not allowed to make a living at the wholesale market.
He raised the concern of possible social unrest, unwanted incidents or even crime in the future.
The deputy minister proposed for the government to explore the possibility of relocating the Rohingya to the plantation sector that still needs manpower.
He said other countries dealing with Covid pandemic may not be able to take in a large number of Rohingya from Malaysia in the next five years.
As such, Santhara said it is worth exploring the idea of relocating them to plantation estates where they would be provided accommodation and their children can go to schools.
"There is free housing with electricity and water amenities. We can even have tahfiz schools and other good facilities," he said.
"This can be a good solution where they can live peacefully and have quality of life," he said.
"In the next 10 to 15 years, their children can speak good Bahasa Malaysia and English. They can assimilate with Malaysian society while waiting for the United Nation High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to place them in a third country.
"More likely, you would find that the developed nations might want to take them," he added. - Mkini
Santhara is another PALAT !!!
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