29 June 2020

Press Statement by MCA International Communication & Diplomacy Bureau Chairperson Dr Tee Ching Seng


Rohingya plight: Malaysia rejects human trafficking and illegal entries




Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's first priority becomes addressing our own dwindling resources and mitigating the resulting economic impact. Our Bureau recognises that the premier was telling the truth when he said our country can no longer accommodate new Rohingya refugees.

There is a need for everyone to understand that Malaysia has already pulled out all the stops to assist in the Rohingya crisis; and since, our country takes a firm stance against human trafficking and illegal border crossings, our policies should not be in the direction of enabling traffickers.

We urge Malaysia’s biggest critics, namely developed countries and humanitarian organisations, to stop hijacking the narrative. Malaysia is unable to continue shouldering this colossal burden alone. So, may we suggest that you, the critics, employ a more constructive approach, and share in our burden by taking in 200,000 Rohingya refugees.

We concur with our Prime Minister when he called upon the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to expedite the resettlement process of Rohingya refugees to third countries with advanced economies which can undoubtedly accommodate the refugees better.

Moreover, other than human trafficking and illegal entries, we should not ignore the possibility of terrorists masquerading as refugees to gain access into our borders. These terror cells often do their recruitment among other refugees and it poses a threat to our national security.

During the 36th ASEAN Summit, Prime Minister Muhyiddin brought up that Malaysia is unable to continue to take in more Rohingya refugees due to the fact that our resources and capacity are already stretched, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Tee Ching Seng
MCA International Communication & Diplomacy Bureau Chairperson

 

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