Malaysia the land of their dreams

COX’S BAZAR: For many of the Rohingya refugees cramped in the squalid camps at the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, one country looms large – Malaysia.

Many of the refugees see Malaysia as a chance for them to free themselves from their many problems but it is not as easy as they think due to their status as refugees.

“Many of us have family members working in Malaysia. If we are lucky, we can get jobs, but many have been cheated by those who promised to help,” said Musa Khalil, 27, who is among the refugees at the Kutupalong Refugee Camp, about 35km from here.

Musa has been in Malaysia before but was cheated by middlemen.

“My life in Malaysia was way better than at this refugee camp, but I have to be here to take care of my family,” said Musa, who fled Rakhine state with his family to Kutupalong.

Musa worked in Malaysia from 2009 till 2014 to help change the fate of his family but due to his refugee status and lack of accurate information on job opportunities in Malaysia, he was forced to return to the refugee camp.

He was cheated by middlemen who promised a better life, when in reality, with the refugee status, it was impossible for him to work legitimately in Malaysia.

Musa, who can converse in Malay, said life was hard at the refugee camp and they had to go hungry as they lacked food and it was difficult for them to get (clean) water and go to the toilet.

Meanwhile, for 23-year-old Syed Hossein who had worked in Malaysia for 18 months, he said during the time he was in Malaysia, he was able to help support his family of eight but when he returned (to the refugee camp) their lives changed for the worse.

“Life is very hard here. I have no money and job, and everything is expensive. If we are ill, we are unable to get medicine, and our shelters only have the ground as the floor and walls of canvas,” said Syed Hossein who was born in the refugee camp.

Many Rohingya refugees in Malaysia are United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) cardholders but the Government does not recognise the refugee status of the ethnic Rohingya as Malaysia is not a signatory to (United Nations) 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol.

However, based on humanitarian grounds, the Malaysian Government has allowed UNHCR cardholders including the Rohingya with legitimate UNHCR cards to seek temporary refuge in Malaysia until they are sent back to their country or placed in a third country. — Bernama