‘What happens in Myanmar doesn’t stay in Myanmar’

KUALA LUMPUR: The effects of the violence against the Rohingyas in Myanmar could spill over and lead to a refugee crisis, says Prime Minister Najib Razak.

At a press conference after the close of the Umno general assembly today, Najib, who is also Umno president, said, “What happens in Myanmar doesn’t stay in Myanmar.”

He also said that as a rule, Asean countries could not intervene in the internal affairs of a member state, but that in this case, the violence in Myanmar was a breach of the Asean charter that sought to protect universal human rights.

Najib said tens of thousands of Rohingyas had been affected by the violence in Myanmar, and hundreds of thousands more would be too if the situation there persisted.

“Surely, we would see boat people on a massive scale. We have to act before it’s too late.”

Last year, Malaysia took in hundreds of Rohingyas who had fled Myanmar in rickety boats for several Asean countries including Thailand and Indonesia.

“This is why we have to take a strong stand. Malaysians want the government to take a strong stand in this matter.”

Clarifying that this did not mean Malaysia did not respect Myanmar’s sovereignty, Najib did however say the Rohingya issue was a matter beyond that of sovereignty since people were being oppressed.

“History will judge us if we are passive and do nothing when so many are dying cruel deaths.”

Speaking about the solidarity rally for the Rohingyas to be held tomorrow, Najib said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s attendance at the rally did not mean Umno and the Islamist party were working together politically.

He said Umno and PAS were merely working together on an issue that both had a common stand about, especially since it involved Muslims.

He also said that although Malaysia had taken a strong stance against the violence in Myanmar, the crisis had not reached a stage where diplomatic ties would be severed.

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