KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Youth is standing in solidarity with the Rohingya people from Myanmar by staging two protests here today.
The first will be held in front of the United Nations’ Malaysia headquarters in Jalan Dungun, Damansara Heights at 10am and later in front of the Myanmar Embassy here after Friday prayers at 3pm.
Umno youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin announced about the protest at a press conference at the Putra World Trade Centre on Thursday.
“We are asking the government to once again work on diplomatic means through the United Nations to end the crisis.
“If not the government has to start thinking of other measures on whether to seek sanctions but that would be the next step.”
He said the longstanding crisis had caused hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people to be displaced and numerous others were attacked, killed, raped and burned alive.
“If we do not do something to pressure Myanmar to give an assurance for the safety of its people who are not given citizenship, then we are doing nothing to stop the violence,” added Khairy.
The violence in Rakhine, Myanmar peaked on Aug 25 after an attack on dozens of police posts by Rohingya insurgents.
The clashes and a major military counter-offensive ensuing from the incident has killed at least 400 people while hundreds of houses were also burned.