Malaysia to send humanitarian mission to help Rohingya refugees

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is to send an integrated humanitarian mission to help the Rohingya refugees sheltering at the Bangladesh-Myanmar border after fleeing alleged suppression by the Myanmar military, the Prime Minister’s Office said yesterday.

It said in a statement that the decision to send the mission, to be led by the Malaysian Armed Forces, was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The mission, supported by the iM4U voluntary organisation and being sent due to concern over the plight of the Rohingya, is a manifestation of Malaysia’s strong protest over the alleged continued suppression of the Rohingya in Myanmar by the military, it added.

The mission was prepared to leave tomorrow to assess the situation at the refugee camps at the border, it said.

“The mission will also see the delivery of aid comprehensively arranged by Malaysia Airlines and to be distributed by a team of Malaysian volunteers drawn from various organisations with the cooperation of Malindo Air,” the statement said.

The statement said that in order to ensure more effective channelling of the aid, discussions would be held on a plan to set up a military hospital in the area with the agreement of the Bangladesh authorities.

As members of the ASEAN community that upheld the values of humanity and universal well-being, Malaysia urged the Myanmar government to resolve the turmoil in line with the principle of protection of human rights as embodied in the ASEAN Charter and ASEAN Human Rights Declaration as well as the resolutions approved at the extraordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers on Jan 19 this year, it said.

“By way of this humanitarian aid, it is expected that bilateral relations between Malaysia and Bangladesh will be enhanced for the common good,” it said.

The statement said that Najib urged the people to unite in the cause of the mission by providing collective and effective assistance through the official channels to be announced later.

“It is hoped that this mission will carry the wishes of all Malaysians and the spirit of ‘Negaraku Prihatin’ (MyCountry, Concerned) based on the right to security of every human being,” it said. - Bernama