Regulating Rohingya undermines Malaysia’s human rights stance, says don

 

An MP has urged the government to create definitive policies and guidelines to regulate the Rohingya community. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Regulating the Rohingya community in Malaysia will further compromise the country’s moral and ethical stance on human rights issues, says an academic.

Syed Farid Alatas of the National University of Singapore said Malaysia should focus more on action to support refugees.

Syed Farid Alatas.

“For me, the main contradiction is between the official Malaysian rhetoric about caring for refugees, whether they are Palestinian or Rohingya, and the reality of the policies that do not give them access to jobs and education.

“In this sense, Western countries have a better record in terms of how they treat refugees,” he told FMT.

Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat earlier this month, Pulai MP Suhaizan Kaiat urged the government to create definitive policies and guidelines to regulate the Rohingya community.

Suhaizan said his call was in response to complaints about crime and the emergence of refugee settlements. He alleged that the Rohingya community’s presence in Malaysia “threatens the lives of the people in this country”.

He also cited an incident on Dec 23 last year where three Rohingya, suspected of involvement in 50 burglaries across six states, were shot dead.

Asked about the public’s perception of Palestinianian refugees in Malaysia, Syed Farid said that while Malaysia has welcomed thousands of Rohingya refugees, there have been comparatively fewer Palestinians who have chosen to seek refuge in Malaysia.

“The Rohingya are highly visible and can, therefore, be perceived as a threat to our society by certain individuals,” he said.

“(But) due to the small number of Palestinians in Malaysia, there would not be that same perception.”

Migrant activist Adrian Pereira criticised the government for its refusal to implement clear rights-based laws for the treatment of refugees according to established principles and standards.

The North-South Initiative executive director said there was no need for the government to wait until a UN convention is ratified or a law enacted to do what is right and treat everyone with dignity.

He also claimed that hate campaigns are occurring based on rumours of an increase in crime.

“If it is true, show the proof, show the data. Let’s have an evidence-based discussion,” he said.

On March 6, an international human rights watchdog criticised the government for its failure to reform immigration policies concerning the treatment of migrant and refugee communities.

Human Rights Watch said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has not fulfilled his promise to ratify the United Nations’ 1951 refugee convention, which would enable the country to formally recognise refugees and their right to work. - FMT