Residents in Semabok upset with growing number of Rohingya ethnic

 

Residents were upset and annoyed by the attitude of the community who was not bothered about cleanliness as they pile up used items and rubbish in and around their area. - NSTP/MEOR RIDUWAN MEOR AHMAD.

MELAKA: The increasing number of Rohinya ethnic, by the thousands, at Jalan Senang 3 in Semabok is causing discomfort among the locals here, especially where cleanliness, safety and social relations are concerned.

Checks and observations at the neighbourhood which has become among the main places for their settlement found that the community has opened up unlicensed sundry shops and convenience stores, and madrasah (religious school) for their children in a rented building.

It is understood that there are close to 200 Rohingya people including children, involving 27 families in and around Jalan Pulau Senang 3.

Local Mohd Shahril Samah, 43, said there were no problems when the Rohingya started arriving and living in the area about seven years ago, but things changed when more of them came.

Shahril said they are seen as free and 'untouchable' because they hold the UNHCR refugee card which enables them to move around and work.

"Some of them do get involved in social problems as a few of them constantly get drunk and fight among themselves which disrupts the peace and tranquillity here.

"After complaints were lodged with the local authorities who came and carried out inspection, the situation has toned down a bit. But, some still like to gather till the wee hours and make noise until it disturbs the neighbourhood.

He said the locals were also concerned about the safety of their children and urged the authorities to take swift action to curb the influx of Rohingya ethnic in the area.

Semabok Luar Village Safety and Development Committee chairman Mansor Yahya on the other hand said that they were upset and annoyed by the attitude of the community who was not bothered about cleanliness as they pile up used items and rubbish in and around their area.

"Some of them work as grass cutters, contract labourers and iron and metal collectors. The problem happens when they don't clean up the mess left from their collected used items. They just leave the rubbish all over the place or piled up around the houses until it becomes an eyesore and worse, it becomes a breeding place for mosquitoes.

"There are also those who renovated the houses that they live in without the permission of the owners and in some instances the drains behind the houses have become clogged.

"The same problems and issues are also happening at another ethnic Rohingya settlement along Jalan Bunga Raya 4," he said. - NST