A human rights lawyer has urged the government to educate Malaysians on the plight of the Rohingya, amid rising antagonism towards the refugee community in the country.
Eric Paulsen, formerly Malaysia’s representative at the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, said Putrajaya must condemn hate speech or vigilantism targeted at the refugee community residing in Malaysia.
Paulsen said the government must take firm and principled leadership to protect the community while carrying out its responsibility to educate and inform citizens.
“Silence in the face of incitement is not neutrality but permission (for culprits to continue such acts). The government must publicly condemn hate speech targeting the Rohingya and ensure threats and incitement to violence are investigated and, when warranted, prosecuted.
“Malaysians deserve an honest account of who the Rohingya are, why they are here, and what the government’s policies are.
“It is worth recalling that then prime minister Najib Razak once held a rally in solidarity with the Rohingya in 2016, a recognition at the highest political level that their suffering demands a compassionate response. That spirit must not be lost,” he said in a statement.
Paulsen reiterated that the Rohingya did not flee to Malaysia to seek privilege, but did it for safety from persecution.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said efforts to repatriate Rohingya refugees to Myanmar or resettle them in a third country have so far met a dead end, adding that it was a complex humanitarian matter.
He urged Malaysians to uphold humanitarian values and not to take action against the Rohingya on their own, but to leave matters to the authorities.
However, Anwar said Rohingya refugees in Malaysia must comply with local laws or face enforcement action, including rules on premises and business operations.
Police recently advised the public not to take their own action against the Rohingya, following calls on social media to capture the refugees in Perak.