APRIL 19 — Human Rights Watch on the 18th of April, published a report citing the incident of Malaysia’s refusal to let a boat carrying 200 Rohingya refugees from entering the Malaysian waters.
Pertaining to the incident, it should be noted that in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysia has enforced a Movement Control Order which, among other movement restrictions, prohibits foreign nationals and vessels from entering the country, with the objective of flattening the pandemic curve.
While it is acknowledged that non-discriminatory principles apply beyond nationalities, equal enjoyment of human rights are subjected to the State. Receiving the Rohingya at times like this could open the floodgates for more foreign nationals and vessels to approach our border and therefore hinder us from achieving our objective.
We have far exceeded our capacity to host refugees. Some part of our cities has become too concentrated with refugees and resources to take care of their welfare have been depleted. Malaysia’s inability to welcome any more refugees is understandable especially when we cannot treat them humanely without syphoning resources from other areas. The welfare of our people is our utmost priority.
Nevertheless, we recognize the dire need for a long-term solution to the crisis. Temporarily sheltering the Rohingya is not a sustainable solution for both the Rohingya and host nation. With each passing day, more and more will seek refuge. In Malaysia alone, the Rohingyas are estimated to be around 150,000, both registered with the UNHCR and illegal migrants. The overwhelming influx of the Rohingya will continue to rise should there be no permanent solution.
The Rohingya’s plight is not a one-state problem. They desperately flee their home, braving the rough seas to seek refuge from other countries only to be pushed away to another border. It is a regional humanitarian crisis of global importance. It is a problem of ASEAN and the global community and requires the international community to work together to put a stop to this vicious cycle.
It is, therefore, time for the international humanitarian agencies and NGOs together with ASEAN and other developed countries to find a long-term solution which can help shelter the refugees and provide them with dignified livelihood while safeguarding the nations’ interests.
Malaysia, with constant support from the international community and international humanitarian agency, continues to host those who are already present in the country. However, they should then be relocated to a receiving country and a plan to affect this must now be developed and rigorously pursued by all the stakeholders.
Meanwhile, as a regional organization, ASEAN must no longer sleep on the issue and start working with Myanmar on providing the Rohingya with the right to return and continue to live peacefully in the Rakhine state. This situation will persist and the Rohingya will continue to be in limbo as long as the core of the problem is not addressed. Everyone must play their part to weather the storm of the Rohingya crisis, once and for all.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
