‘Rohingya woes a global issue now’

PUTRAJAYA: The high number of Rohingya refugees in Malaysia, coupled with hundreds of thousands in neighbouring countries, means the issue is no longer an internal matter in Myanmar, said Wisma Putra.

It said in a statement that the 56,000 Rohingya people in Malaysia and in other Asean countries made it an international matter.

“The fact that only one particular ethnicity is being driven out, is by definition, ethnic cleansing.

“This must stop and it must stop immediately in order to bring back security and stability to the region,” it said.

Wisma Putra added that Malaysia need not remind deputy director-general of the Myan­­mar Presi­dent’s Office, U Zaw Htay, of the 2015 boat people crisis which eventually became a regional issue, with Myanmar’s neighbours taking the brunt of the burden.

“It is with this in mind that Malaysia has repeatedly offered its assistance to the Myanmar government in finding a solution for a just and durable immediate solution to the persecution of the Rohingya in Rakhine state,” it said in the statement.

The statement was in response to Zaw Htay’s comment to the Myan­mar Times on Friday that Malaysia should respect sovereign affairs.

This came as several protests took place in Malaysia against Myan­mar’s treatment of the Ro­­hingya people recently.

There are also plans to hold a solidarity march on the issue.

Wisma Putra said that it viewed with concern the humanitarian crisis involving Rohingya, the spillover effect of which will affect the safety, security and standing of Malaysia, as Myanmar’s Asean neighbour.

“It is in this context that Malaysia has allowed the solidarity march to take place.

“As a neighbour and responsible member of the international community, it is Malaysia’s obligation to ensure that its Asean colleague takes proactive steps to prevent the matter from further deteriorating,” Wisma Putra said.

It further added that as a foun­ding member of the regional body, Malaysia was well aware of the principles on which Asean was built.

“In 2008, all 10 member states of Asean adopted the Asean Charter which binds members to the international principles of protection and promotion of human rights.

“Furthermore, all member states of Asean agreed to respond effectively, in accordance with the principle of comprehensive security, to threats, which the Rohingya issue poses to Malaysia’s own security,” Wisma Putra said. — Bernama