PUTRAJAYA, Nov 18 — The efforts of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to champion the Rohingya issue on the international stage has beginning to bear fruit as Myanmar is taking measures to resolve the crisis.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said Malaysia was satisfied with the assurance given by National Advisor, Aung San Suu Kyi, who led the Myanmar delegation to the 31st Asean Summit in the Philippines, recently.
The Nobel Prize winner assured that the commendations of the report of the Rakhine Advisory Commission chaired by former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan, would be implemented.
“Malaysia highlighted the Rohingya issue at Asean level, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and at the United Nations (UN).
“It is safe to say that this is all because of Najib’s efforts,” he said at a post-31st Asean Summit media briefing, here today.
Aung San Suu Kyi also stated that Myanmar and Bangladesh were expected to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the deportation of Rohingya refugees back to their country of origin.
“She (Aung San Suu Kyi) stated that the MoU would be implemented soon after Bangladesh and Myanmar sign the agreement.
“It is likely that Myanmar will be able to implement the return of Rohingya refugees within three weeks. The prime minister wants me to follow the developments between Bangladesh and Myanmar.
“So, we wait and see if it can be done. I will contact the Bangladesh foreign minister to know about the conditions imposed by Myanmar so that the Rohinya can return to that country.”
Anifah said the prime minister argued that the MoU should not place conditions that were difficult for the Rohingya refugees to return to their homeland.
“If Myanmar wants certain documentation, this cannot be done because they do not have any documents,” he added.
More than 600,000 Rohingyas had fled Rakhine region for Bangladesh following an assault on civilians by the Myanmar army who used fighting armed militants as the excuse for the offensive. — Bernama
