MIC lauds stand to address humanitarian crisis
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC lauds Malaysia’s commitment to address the atrocities against the Rohingya and supports all actions taken.
MIC president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said the Asean community could not look at this as the internal affairs of a member state as it was a humanitarian crisis in the regional bloc.
Asean, he said, must use its collective capacity, resources and stand together to address it.
“It is not about a race or religion but about humanity as a whole.
“We would respond in a similar way to a similar incident in any part of the world.”
Based on international reports, he said, international aid had been denied into the conflict area.
He said this had led to the disruption of essential supplies to the vulnerable, including medicine for the young and old.
Subramaniam also questioned Myanmar State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi’s continued silence on the issue.
He said her conscience had overwhelmed her when Myanmar was in crisis during the rule of the military junta and she gained global support.
He said Suu Kyi, who is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, must now rekindle the same conscience and respond to yet another humanitarian crisis in her country.
The recent escalation of armed conflict in the Rakhine state had led to massive atrocities committed on innocent civilians, including women and children.
This, he said, had led to the displacement of the Rohingya from their homes, leading many to seek shelter in neighbouring Bangladesh. Bangladesh has, however, closed its doors to them.
In Kuantan, Pahang Mufti Datuk Seri Dr Abdul Rahman Osman said it was mandatory for Muslims to extend a helping hand to the Rohingya community in Myanmar.
He called upon Muslims in Malaysia to join hands to provide assistance to alleviate the plight of their fellow Muslims in Myanmar.
Rahman said the hadith (collection of sayings and acts of Prophet Muhammad) quoted the Prophet as saying that a Muslim who did not care for or take heed of the sufferings of other Muslims could be regarded as though he was not a part of the Islamic community.
“I support and see efforts, like the establishment of funds (for the Rohingya) such as the one launched by Media Prima Bhd, as a positive development,” he said.
On calls by certain quarters for economic sanctions against Myanmar and the retraction of the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Suu Kyi, Rahman said he had no issue with such suggestions.
“However, it is my opinion that it is best for us to focus first on ensuring the Rohingya people get the help they need.”
He said that it was imperative for Malaysians to first assist in providing immediate aid, such as food and medicine, to the Rohingya community in Myanmar before considering other ways to tackle the issue.