Militant Rohingya group raises funds in Malaysia by extorting money from Muslim refugees
- The arrest of four Rohingyas, including one believed to have links to a pro-Isis terror cell, has uncovered an extortion racket operating in seven states
- While Malaysia has called for justice for the persecuted minority group, the realisation that some members could be a security threat has caused disquiet
A militant group of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar is actively fundraising in Malaysia – to the tune of RM80,000 (US$19,500) – from Rohingya refugees working and sheltering in Malaysia, according to police.
The arrest of four Rohingyas by counterterrorism police in recent months uncovered an extortion racket to fund the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa), which operates in seven states in Peninsular Malaysia.
One of the detained Rohingyas is believed to have links with a pro-Islamic State (Isis) cell involved in a terror plot to attack a Hindu temple, lending credence to long-held fears that the members of the persecuted Muslim minority could easily be recruited by militant groups.
Rohingyas make up over half – 54 per cent – of the 176,000 refugees in Malaysia, according to United Nations figures, but the majority have no militant leanings, say analysts and police.
Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled Myanmar’s western Rakhine state to Bangladesh and neighbouring Asian countries in recent years, with the Myanmar military accused of committing atrocities against them.
Kuala Lumpur has been among the most vocal proponents of justice for the Rohingya, including suggesting Myanmar grant them citizenship, but the realisation that members of the community could be a domestic security threat is causing disquiet among Malaysian security agencies.
Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, head of the Malaysian police’s counterterrorism division, told This Week In Asia: “Arsa has collected 80,000 ringgit in Malaysia. The money is then sent to Bangladesh via hawala and Western Union.”