KUALA LUMPUR: Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation Malaysia has expressed its appreciation to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the Malaysian government for raising its plight on the international stage.
Its president, Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani, said as the global community focused on the United Nations’ General Assembly sitting in New York, the organisation hoped that this would translate into the international community “taking action against Myanmar”.
“We appreciate the support to stop the genocide against our people. However, there is a lot more to be done by the international community to stop the atrocities.”
Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations at Universiti Malaysia Sabah Dr Lai Yew Meng said Najib had played a big part in garnering world leaders’ support for the Rohingya.
He said the meeting between Najib and United States President Donald Trump in Washington DC recently had touched on international security and the plight of the Rohingya.
Thus, he said, the call made by the US was a positive step towards finding a solution to the crisis.
Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said Malaysia must continue to raise the Rohingya issue at international platforms.
“The message conveyed (by Najib) was loud and clear. There were doubts that he would raise the Rohingya issue in the meeting with Trump, but he did it and expressed Malaysia’s stand in matters relating to the wellbeing of Muslims around the world.”
“The prime minister understands that there must a global consensus in ending the atrocities against the Rohingya. He wants to see the US, which is one of the world’s most powerful nations, play its role to achieve that.”