Penang yet to receive instructions on Rohingya refugees
Published on: Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Penang: Penang police have yet to receive instructions on placement of Rohingya refugees in the State. Penang police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi said they were fully prepared to take the necessary steps if instructed to do so "We will also cooperate with other agencies involved regarding this issue." he told reporters here Tuesday.Recently Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar was reported as saying the Rohingya refugees might be placed in temporary shelters in northern states, including Penang.
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The country recently saw a massive influx of "boat people" from Myanmar and Bangladesh.In other matters, Abdul Rahim said 25 more traffic offenders with outstanding warrants on them were nabbed in the state under the Ops Warta crackdown bringing the total number held to 234 people, nine of them women, as of Monday. Meanwhile, in IPOH, the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) will deploy more General Operations Force (PGA) members to the Malaysia-Thailand border area if the situation necessitates it, following the discovery of 139 graves on the Malaysian side of the border at Wang Kelian, Perlis.Internal Security and Public Order director, Datuk Muhammad Fuad Abu Zarim said security control in the area would also be boosted.
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"At this moment, the number of PGA members stationed at the border is enough but if the situation demands it, we will increase their number."In fact, we will conduct more frequent patrols, and reorganise or review the security level along that border area to ensure optimum control."
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He said this at a news conference after the closing of the PGA Basic Course at the PGA North Brigade Headquarters parade grounds in Hulu Kinta, near here, Tuesday.Muhammad Fuad said so far, 300 PGA officers and members had been assigned to patrol and look after the border area under the operation, 'Op Wawasan Khas JKDNKA 2015' since May 11."We have also established good cooperation with the Thai enforcement agencies in carrying out the operation," he said.He also noted that to date, PDRM had about 12,000 PGA members nationwide and would be recruiting over 1,000 more from among the public.Earlier, he handed over certificates to 54 senior officers and 279 personnel of other ranks who completed the PGA Basic Course series 1/2015. The course started on March 1. On another note, the Organisation Of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is mobilising efforts to address political and humanitarian aspects of the Rohingya refugees, as part of its long-standing campaign to support the persecuted Muslim minority in Myanmar.In line with this, OIC Secretary-General Iyad Ameen Madani has instructed its offices in Geneva and New York to actively coordinate with relevant international agencies and organisations to contribute to humanitarian efforts.The issue would also be top of the agenda during the Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Kuwait on Wednesday, where a joint plan of action would be discussed for adoption, the Jeddah-based organisation said in its website Monday.Meanwhile, OIC Special Envoy for Myanmar, Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar has been fully active on the ground, as well as working with local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and contacting officials for the OIC campaign to help the Rohignya, whom the United Nations has described as one of the most persecuted minorities in the world.The OIC has also communicated with its humanitarian NGOs' network to create a comprehensive action plan to tackle the issue, as well as preparing to launch media awareness and fund raising campaign throughout its 57-member states. The OIC explained that the main cause for the current crisis was due to the dire situation faced by the Rohingya, which led some 100,000 of them fleeing the Rakhine state on boats due to oppression, fear, abuse and killings since 2012.The organisation stressed that the international community must press the Myanmar Government to stop violating the basic human rights of the Rohingya and recognise them as full-fledged citizens, in order to comprehensively address the untenable situation.The OIC said it had actively supported the Rohingya to regain citizenship revoked in 1982, and had assisted in the founding of the Arakan Rohingya Union, an entity representing Rohingya worldwide, to seek the international community's support as well as raise awareness on their plight.It has also adopted an action plan to persuade the Myanmar Government "to take steps" against people promoting hate speech and instigating violence against Rohingya, as well as held inter-community and interfaith dialogue.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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