KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Muslim community in the United Kingdom has expressed concerns about their safety amid far-right protests in various parts of the nation last week.
Aaeisha Zuhaimy, a 27-year-old dentist residing in Belfast, Northern Ireland, one of the cities heavily affected by the riots, shared her fears of going to work.
As a Muslim woman wearing a hijab, she worries about being targeted by far-right groups.
"I've felt a sense of fear to go out for work since the incident. Luckily, the situation was uneventful this morning as police cars patrol the area all the time, particularly around the mosque," she told the NST.
She also noted the supportive response from her colleagues and the larger community.
"After the right-wing rally, a majority marched against them, and I believe it's a small minority who are for the anti-immigration sentiment in Belfast," she added.
Another Malaysian, Dr Amalina Che Din, 30, who recently moved from Belfast to Cardiff, expressed similar worries.
She said that her Muslim colleagues, especially those wearing hijabs, felt unsafe using public transportation.
Attributing the riots to socioeconomic factors, Dr Amalina said that the unrest occurred mainly in cities with high numbers of immigrants or refugees.
"The far-right group was unhappy with the government's initiatives towards refugees and immigrants, such as allocations for social housing," she said.
The recent unrest followed a knife attack in Southport, where three girls were killed, leading to false claims online that the suspect was a Muslim immigrant.
These claims sparked protests and riots in several UK cities, resulting in more than 50 injured officers and widespread property damage.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the escalating violence as "far-right thuggery".
Meanwhile, Taufiq, a 46-year-old entrepreneur in Cardiff, remains calm about his family's safety, as Cardiff has not been affected by the riots.
"My son is studying at Bristol University, but I don't feel threatened unless he goes into the troubled areas," he said.
He expressed confidence in the country's security following strong warnings from Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, promising police action against the rioters.
On Sunday (Aug 4), Starmer warned far-right protesters they would "regret" their actions, and Cooper pledged that those who caused chaos would face "a reckoning".
She said that all involved would "pay the price for their crimes" across various offences, including looting, arson, disorder, violence, and social media incitement.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan advised Malaysians in the UK to avoid protest areas and register with the Malaysian High Commission in London for better safety arrangements.