PUTRAJAYA must break its silence over the growing Rohingya problem and help to stop them from fleeing Myanmar, activists said.

They said the Anwar Ibrahim government has done little to address the humanitarian crisis since taking office in November.

“Over the past month and a half we have seen a dramatic humanitarian and human security crisis unfold in the Andaman Sea,” Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network’s Rohingya Working Group chairma Lilianne Fan told The Malaysian Insight.

“It requires a coordinated regional response that is humanitarian and addresses national security concerns and root causes, similar to that to the 2015 Andaman Sea crisis. 

“Unfortunately, the new Malaysian government has been silent on this crisis, precisely at a time when we should be taking the lead in calling for and in shaping an urgent regional response on this crisis.” 

In the last 50 days, multiple boats loaded with hundreds of Rohingya refugees have been left stranded in the region’s ocean, including in Malaysian waters.

Fan said the pattern looked set to continue. Rohingya refugees are unable to return safely to Myanmar while the conditions worsen in the refugee camps in Bangladesh.

On December 21, Reuters reported that up to 20 Rohingya had died of hunger or thirst on a boat that was stranded for two weeks at sea off India’s coast.

The boat with at least 100 people was said to be stranded in Malaysian waters. 

Each year, thousands Rohingya risk their lives boarding rickety vessels to Malaysia.

Fan said Malaysia must manage the Rohingya crisis humanely to prevent more suffering.

Inadequate assistance

Former Klang MP Charles Santiago said while Malaysia is not signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, the government must ensure that refugees seeking protection from persecution be given adequate assistance.

“As a country that is not a member of UN 1951 convention, we have no responsibility to (help) any refugees but in this case, the Rohingya were chased out of their own country and if they stayed they could have been jailed or killed. 

“In this case, not just Malaysia but Asean must adopt a more humane approach to refugees,” said the Asean Parliamentarians for Human Rights chairman.

Santiago urged the government to come up with a strategy to address the issue.

“They are not here to take our jobs nor are they here to threaten us. If we can allow foreign workers to work here, we should be able to take in refugees.

“If they do not have working experience, they can learn; not all foreigners know how to do their job when they first arrive either,” he said.

In 2018, more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims fled to neighbouring Bangladesh following a military crackdown in Myanmar that witnesses said included mass killings and rape.

Rights groups and media have documented the killing of civilians and burning of villages.

Malaysia is home to more than 100,000 Rohingya Muslims but has recently taken to deporting people from Myanmar after adopting a tougher policy on refugees and illegal migrants.

No contingency plan

Another former MP, Kasthuri Patto said Malaysia must have the political will to end the crisis.

She criticised the Prison and Immigration Departments for their failure to deal with the refugees after attending numerous international conferences on human rights.

“We have no plan in place; we herd them like cattle because we do not know how to deal with such a crisis and we did all this despite being a member of Asean and various international human rights organisations.

“There has been no changes, no contingency plans on how to manage the refugee crisis. 

“The government must allow experts to come and help it to build a plan because the crisis is not going to end on its own.” – January 21, 2023.