Malaysia and Rohingyas: Using our vast experience to help the refugees

Wed, 20/5/15: I read Helen Ang's Najib gomen caves in to pressure, about PM Najib Razak's "lack of gumption" to stand by his own Administratiion's decision not to allow the Rohingya Muslims to land on our shores. But if this is a "weakness" on the part of the Prime Minister, it is one that we should welcome with open arms. 

Please let the Rohingyas in. Lead this regional effort to save these Boat People.

Bernama's full story H E R E

Msia, Indonesia couldn't wait any loner, says Anifah

I never had doubts whatsoever that Anifah Aman, our Foreign Minister, would do the right thing, ie find a temporary solution quickly to resolve the life-and-death crisis facing the 7,000 Rohingya refugees out there in the sea. I am very proud of him. 

As veteran journalist Nuraina Samad wrote on her Facebook yesterday, there is no country more experienced than Malaysia in this region when it comes to helping refugees like the Rohingyas are concerned. For decades we were giving the Vietnamese Buddhists and Christians refuge in Pulau Bidong and in Sabah/Sarawak while the international community decided who they wanted to take in. Today, most of these "Boat People" are doing very, very well in the US, Australia, Europe and else where, thanks to us. [Read Nuraina's entryH E R E.] 

Myanmar is a disgrace. Anyone disagrees?

As the Chair of Asean, Najib must send the message to Myanmar to be civilised, get Thailand and the other member countries to help Malaysia and Indonesia in dealing with the issue, and start making those calls to world leaders. 

The international community will take its time to deal with this matter. Why? It concerns not just Muslims but poor Muslims and there is no oil at stake so this will be very low in terms of priority for most of them. Our esteemed critics should be gunning their razor sharp words at the internaitonal community and their hipocrisy instead of attacking our own ...