Rohingya a growing regional security issue: Malaysia

Rohingya a growing regional security issue: Malaysia

Malaysia has described Rohingya problem as a growing regional security issue saying it is merely not a domestic problem, according to the Annual Security Outlook 2019 released by Asean.

Malaysia also remains concerned over the Rakhine State of Myanmar being a fertile ground for future terrorist cell, reads the report.

It is also feared that the suffering faced by the Rohingya Muslims will be manipulated by terrorists, the report mentions in Malaysia sector of the 206-page report.

The situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine state continues to be a “perpetuate concern” to Malaysia, says the report.

It says there is an approximately of 100,000 Rohingya refugees in Malaysia of which not all of them are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Given the importance to counterterrorism from its root, international partners and Asean in particular should play an active role to support and assist Myanmar in addressing and finding a solution to this matter.

Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas and most of them entered the country after August 25, 2017 as Myanmar launched a brutal offensive targeting the mainly-Muslim ethnic minority.

Though Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation deal on November 23, 2017, not a single person has so far been repatriated.

Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad recently said the Rohingyas should be treated as Myanmar nationals or be given a chance to form their own state.

On July 31, Myanmar Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed his dismay and objected to the comments made by Malaysian Prime Minister saying such allegations are not supportive to the ongoing efforts of Myanmar government and Asean in finding a sustainable solution for peace, development and social harmony in Rakhine.