SIMPANG RENGGAM: The international community should stop pointing fingers and blaming countries which accept refugees, but instead help these countries towards a solution to the refugee problem.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who expressed his disappointment on the global community's criticism towards refugee host countries, said more focus should be given to reach a solution to this global problem.
"It is disappointing when the global community reacts in this way. They should be helping to search for a solution. Instead, they blame the country which gives protection (to refugees) as if we condone human trafficking activities," he said after a buka puasa ceremony at the Simpang Renggam prison, here.
On a related matter, Zahid said a recent Asean-level meeting in Kuala Lumpur has come up with a resolution to beef up enforcement on refugees by implementing bio-metric identification system and also intelligence sharing among enforcement agencies.
"Also, the special trust fund which will be set up will help in refugee management. It is hoped that the fund would generate up to USD100 million (RM370 million)," he said, adding that the fund would be distributed equally among the 10 Asean countries.
"This fund is to ensure the sustainability and welfare of refugees during their time in the countries they seek refuge," he said.
Zahid also said the government would cooperate with the authorities in countries around the Bay of Bengal and Aseanapol (Asean Interpol) to tackle human trafficking woes involving Bangladeshi.
Earlier, some 1,000 guest including Prisons department director-general Datuk Zulkifli Omar, Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Alwi Ibrahim attended to the event.
Meanwhile, Zahid said many life skills related activities have been carried out across all prison in the state to empower inmates with skills which are useful when they are released from prison.
Zahid was commenting on the initiative taken by the prison authorities to ensure that those who return back to the society can lead a normal life by using the skills they acquire.
"The inmates this year have produced RM1.5 million from the sales of Raya cookies nationwide," he said.
The cookies are some of the life skills imparted to the inmates, in addition to songket weaving and batik making.