MPs relate scenes of abject misery at camp
SEPANG: Malaysian members of parliament (MPs) returning from a two-day visit to a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, have spoken of witnessing heartwrenching scenes of hundreds of thousands of people living in abject misery, without proper shelter, food, basic amenities or medication.
Parliamentarian Datuk Ab Aziz Kaprawi (BN-Sri Gading) said the overcrowded, filthy camp was far from habitable.
“Our experience (there) was an eye-opener. You won’t (truly understand the refugees’ suffering) until you see the hardships (they) are going through. It is beyond your imagination,” he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport yesterday.
He said the 660,000 refugees were living in extreme poverty, with very little food and water.
“They live in a crowded situation with very limited basic amenities. It is also smelly and shabby there. It’s very saddening to see their living conditions. No human should live like that, especially in (2017).”
Aziz, who is also deputy transport minister, said this after returning from Bangladesh at 6am, along with 12 other MPs from both sides of the political divide.
The delegation of 13 elected representatives, led by Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee, had left for Cox’s Bazar on Nov 24 for a
firsthand look at the conditions of refugees there.
Together with the parliamentarians, 51 delegates from the National Security Council (NSC), the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), the Transport Ministry and the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office spent two nights at the coastal town, near the city of Chittagong.
Among them were Datuk Ago Anak Dagang (BN-Kanowit), Datuk Raimi Unggi (BNTenom), Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (Pas-Rantau Panjang) and Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar (PKRTumpat).
Aziz said the delegation met several refugees who had fled their homes in Rakhine State, Myanmar, amid escalating violence by the country’s military which ran a campaign that the UN has described as “textbook ethnic cleansing”.
“(We MPs) brought along and donated food, (basic necessities) and medical supplies to the people.
“The (refugees) were happy and excited to see us and to receive (the donations). They also expressed their gratitude and hopes of meeting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who had taken great steps to (bring a halt to the atrocities in Rakhine) and (ensure that) their (plight is) heard internationally.
“We hope that the Myanmar government will allow the Rohingya to return to the country,” Aziz said.
“They should make sure (to bring an end to the persecution) when the Rohingya return and promise them a good life in the country.
“Thanks to the efforts taken by Malaysia and our prime minister, the situation has gained international attention and concern, including from United States President Donald Trump.”
Aziz said ethic cleansing should be a thing of the past, but unfortunately, the Rohingya were the victims of generations of persecution.
He added that Najib was expected to visit Cox’s Bazar in January for the official opening of a Malaysian field hospital, which will serve as a referral hospital for the Rohingya.
The medical facility will be fully run by the Defence Ministry and manned by Malaysian medical personnel.