Residents call for an end to stigma and deny claims that Bukit Malut is a Myanmar refugee settlement.
LANGKAWI: Residents of Bukit Malut are calling for an end to the longstanding stigma surrounding their community. They deny allegations that the area serves as a landing point and settlement for refugees from Myanmar.
Bukit Malut Neighbourhood Watch (KRT) chairman Mohamad Fadzli Abdullah said residents have long endured unfounded accusations. The settlement is frequently blamed whenever issues involving illegal immigrants arise in Langkawi.
“We have grown accustomed to the negative perceptions surrounding Bukit Malut. Whenever refugees are reported to have landed in Langkawi, our area is often singled out without any basis,” he said when met here today.
He dismissed claims that Bukit Malut is a landing point for illegal immigrants. He noted that the settlement is located near the bases of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (RMCD) and the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN). This makes it difficult for suspicious activities in the surrounding waters to go undetected.
Mohamad Fadzli also rejected claims that the public is prohibited from entering Bukit Malut or that the area is unsafe.
“There are no restrictions on entering Bukit Malut. The authorities continuously monitor security here, and the negative perceptions stem from inaccurate information,” he said.
He added that about 85% of the settlement’s residents are fishermen. The rest are traders, car rental operators, civil servants, uniformed personnel and graduates employed in various sectors.
Meanwhile, resident Hasanah Zakaria, 42, urged the public to visit Bukit Malut and see the community for themselves. She said they should not rely on allegations circulated on social media.
“We live like any other village community, and there are no serious crime issues here. There is no reason for people to be afraid of coming here,” said Hasanah, who has lived in the settlement for more than 20 years.
She said the negative perception of Bukit Malut had also affected her child, who is studying at a boarding school in Langkawi. She continually encourages the child to ignore such allegations and focus on their education.
Another resident, Abas Salam, 62, expressed hope that claims linking Bukit Malut residents to refugees from Myanmar would finally come to an end. He stressed that the overwhelming majority of residents are Malaysian citizens.
“I hope the false claims that we are Rohingya will stop. We are Kedah Malay-Muslims and legitimate Malaysian citizens,” he said.
Abas, one of the earliest settlers of Kampung Tanjung Lembung in Bukit Malut, said he had never encountered refugees from Myanmar living in the area. He has lived there for more than three decades.
“We were among the pioneers who built this settlement. In the early days, we constructed our own homes, mosque and religious school with very little outside assistance. Alhamdulillah, conditions have improved significantly, and today our children and grandchildren have the opportunity to receive a proper education,” he said.