The Borneo Post

Don’t discrimina­te against NGOs giving aid, Myanmar urged

-

They allow Indonesia to help but why not allow Malaysia too? We do not come with the intention of sending troops to use violence. We are coming because the world knows that the people involved in the north of Rakhine state or western part of Myanmar are in need of humanitari­an assistance.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Myanmar government is urged not to discrimina­te against nongovernm­ental organisati­ons ( NGOs) from this country in providing humanitari­an aid for its population, particular­ly the Rohingyas.

Organisati­on of Islamic Cooperatio­n (OIC) Special Envoy to Myanmar Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said Burma must be fair to all Asean countries including Malaysia.

“They allow Indonesia to help but why not allow Malaysia too? We do not come with the intention of sending troops to use violence. We are coming because the world knows that the people involved in the north of Rakhine state or western part of Myanmar are in need of humanitari­an assistance.

“I hope they stick to the spirit of Asean and do not discrimina­te one country against another,” he said after the launch of the 2017: Year of Internatio­nal Solidarity with Rohingya here yesterday.

The Food Flotilla for Myanmar mission organised by 1Malaysia Putera Club ( KP1M) and the Malaysia Islamic Organisati­ons Consultati­ve Council ( MAPIM) which was originally scheduled to depart on Jan 10, has been

Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar,Organisati­on of Islamic Cooperatio­n (OIC) Special Envoy to Myanmar

postponed to Jan 31.

KP1M president Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim was quoted as saying the delay was to respect the laws and sovereignt­y of Myanmar government to give approval to the mission.

Syed Hamid said Malaysia hoped to receive the support from other Asean countries in asking Myanmar to stop the mistreatme­nt against the Rohingyas.

He said that they are currently collecting informatio­n and documents as evidence regarding atrocities against the Rohingyas in Myanmar to be brought to the extraordin­ary meeting of OIC Foreign Ministers on Jan 19 in Kuala Lumpur.

The meeting aimed to discuss the prevailing situation of the Rohingyas in Myanmar and also as a signal to Myanmar that the Muslim world wants the government to ensure humanitari­an aid safely delivered to the affected community. — Bernama

 ??  ?? Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar
Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Malaysia