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KUALA LUMPUR – The Rohingya refugee issue in Malaysia has been described as a “ticking time bomb” that could turn into a “nuclear bomb”, with wider implications for the country’s politics and security if it is allowed to persist without decisive action.
Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muda) said Malaysia could not continue to deal with the issue alone as the number of Rohingya refugees in the country continued to rise.
He said developed countries that had previously pledged to help with the resettlement process had not taken in a sufficient number of refugees.
“Take Indonesia, for example. It has fewer than 2,600 Rohingya refugees, while Thailand has fewer than 500 and India fewer than 20,000. This shows that the promises have not been fulfilled. Malaysia has ended up having to shoulder the entire burden, largely on its own, while other countries carry on as usual.
“It is as though we are the only ones expected to solve this problem,” he said during a debate on the management of refugees in Malaysia in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday.
Syed Saddiq stressed that Malaysia had previously been promised as a temporary place for refugees to undergo documentation before being resettled in developed countries.
He said allowing the situation to continue could strengthen human trafficking syndicates that exploit refugees.
“If the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) do not take firm action, we would effectively be giving smugglers an incentive to continue bringing thousands, or even tens of thousands, of people to Malaysia.
“I propose that the RMN and MMEA adopt a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach towards the uncontrolled entry of refugees by sea,” he said.
Syed Saddiq also proposed that the Dewan Rakyat establish a Special Committee to seek a bipartisan solution to the issue.
He said this was important to ensure the refugee issue was not politicised for party or electoral interests.
“We need to find a middle ground — one where we take firm action while still showing some humanity. That way, we can resolve this issue regardless of who is in government.
“I believe there is political will, but we need the political courage to act together,” he said.
