Penang assemblymen express concerns over Rohingya migrants issue

Posted on 14 May 2015 - 04:04pm
Last updated on 14 May 2015 - 05:04pm

Aaron Ngui
newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Indonesian police (L) escort rescued migrants, mostly Rohingyas from Myanmar and Bangladesh, on arrival at the fishing town of Kuala Cangkoi in Aceh province on May 13, 2015. AFP

GEORGE TOWN: Penang assemblymen today expressed their concerns over reports of migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar getting turned away by neighbouring countries to face their fate in the open sea.

R. S. N. Rayer (DAP – Seri Delima) called upon the state government to come up with measures to address the issue of boats laden with migrants, usually Rohingyas fleeing communal violence, trying to land in Malaysia.

He said having Malaysian maritime authorities turning them back to the sea was not an option on humanitarian grounds.

Lee Khai Loon (PKR – Machang Bubuk) then chimed in to urge the state government to offer job opportunities for these people.

"If they work, they would not just be people we are giving food to, they can help themselves," he said and described the situation as a "humanitarian crisis."

Lee nonetheless noted labour laws, rules and regulations should be adhered to if indeed jobs were offered to them.

Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy then stood up to urge the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) to take the matter seriously.

He said the state had no jurisdiction on such matters and called upon Malaysia to take the lead with Thailand and Indonesia, countries where the migrants pass through, to discuss the matter with Myanmar.

"Malaysia cannot solve this alone, this is a regional issue, Asean should solve this," he said after Wong Hon Wai (DAP – Air Itam) expressed his concern over what was happening.

Concerns of migrants on boats trying to reach Malaysia and Indonesia shores have increased following Thailand tightening its borders following the discovery of migrant graves.

Migrant advocacy groups have warned of some 6,000 to 8,000 migrants stranded at sea as more and more flee violence from Myanmar.

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