PUTRAJAYA must stop the ongoing online campaigns vilifying the Rohingya to protect the refugee group from physical harm, Lawyers for Liberty director Zaid Malek said.

Zaid said social media have seen an increase in xenophobic sentiments against the Rohingya.

“The outrageous xenophobic content being spread around and the call to violence that usually accompanies it must be dealt with swiftly by the Malaysian Multimedia and Multimedia Communication,” he said in a statement today. 

“Should it escalate to actual risk of physical harm, the police must intervene and criminal action taken against those responsible. 

“This endeavour would be more worthwhile than expending resources to hound people who purportedly injure the reputation and integrity of the government.”

Zaid said the government was “quiet and not pro-active” on the threats to the Rohingya but focused on stemming criticism of the country’s leaders.

He said the Rohingya were forced to flee their country for fear of their lives.

Zaid added that the refugees face harassment from unscrupulous enforcement authorities while the local populace grows increasingly hostile to the group.

“There is a risk that if this sentiment is not quelled, they will face real threats of harm by people who mistakenly view them as threats to Malaysian society.

“There is a need for the government to address the unwarranted attacks that they are facing, lest it fester into something irreversible.”

According to UN figures, 58% of the 182,990 refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia are Rohingya. – April 13, 2023.