Covid-19: Borders should remain closed to refugees, says Najib

PETALING JAYA: Allowing an influx of Rohingya people into Malaysia could foil attempts to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission here, says former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

He said on his Facebook page on Thursday (April 23) that as borders had been closed to contain the deadly pandemic, there was no necessity for Malaysia to accept any incoming foreigners, including refugees.

Najib said the Armed Forces had effectively stopped a new batch of Rohingya refugees from entering Malaysia on April 17.

"The interest of Malaysians should come first," he said, noting the pressing need to contain the life-threatening pandemic.

Najib also took a swipe at an NGO that demanded equality for the Rohingya community in Malaysia.

"We don't hate Rohingya people.

"But we do not like it when they don't observe cleanliness and disrespect the law. Some go to the extreme (by) demanding equality," he said.

Najib said it appeared as if the Rohingya community no longer looked at Malaysia as a temporary shelter, but as a potential location to establish their homes.

"Some claim to be representatives of an organisation, but it is not even registered," he said.

Najib called upon the government to be firm in demanding that the United Nations secure the safe return of the Rohingya people to their homeland in Myanmar.

"The ICJ (International Court of Justice) has already made a clear verdict, and the UN must proceed with follow-up action instead of issuing rhetorical statements," he said.

The Hague-based ICJ had on Jan 23 ordered Myanmar to take immediate measures to prevent the genocide of the Rohingya community in the northern Rakhine state.

Najib said for humanitarian purposes, a temporary camp could be built for the Rohingya community in an isolated island in Malaysia.

"But the UN and Asean should take collective responsibility and bear the cost," he said.

Najib noted that such an arrangement was made in the past in Pulau Bidong in aid of Vietnamese refugees.

"But it should not be a permanent settlement," he said.

Najib said he had made a clear stand while in office on May 16,2015, that Malaysia's willingness to assist on humanitarian grounds should not be misconstrued as a signal for anyone to enter.

Najib said Malaysia had been kind to the Rohingya people.

"Nobody can claim that we have acted cruelly against them.

"When I was in office, our army built them a field hospital at Cox Bazar (in Bangladesh). I believe Malaysia is among the nations that helped the Rohingya people the most.

"But don't take advantage of our kindness," he said.