As Malaysia battles the coronavirus, its Rohingya refugees face a torrent of hate

There have been a flurry of petitions calling for them to be deported, along with an uptick in anti-immigrant comments on social media

Some Malaysians are decrying the resources spent on the Rohingya community, which experts say exacerbates persecution and mistrust

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A wooden boat carries suspected Rohingya migrants detained in Malaysian territorial waters off the island of Langkawi. Photo: AP

Published: 8:45pm, 28 Apr 2020Updated: 10:25pm, 28 Apr 2020

As Malaysia struggles with billions of ringgit in losses from the economic impact of its partial lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19, the country’s sizeable population of Rohingya Muslim refugees is facing a torrent of xenophobia – with some citizens decrying the resources spent on them.

Petitions calling for the refugees to be deported – a violation of international law – have flooded online spaces, while there has been an uptick in vitriolic anti-immigrant comments on social media. The government on April 16 turned away several boats carrying hundreds of Rohingya refugees after giving them food, with the air force saying it feared undocumented migrants would bring more Covid-19 cases into the country.

With its hands already full battling the spread of the disease – which has so far infected more than 5,850 people, with 100 deaths – the Malaysian government is now facing pressure from two sides over its handling of the Rohingya. Those in favour want more refugees to be accepted, while those against are demanding the country reserve its resources for its citizens.

Malaysia has a long history of being a destination or midpoint for refugees, including Bosnian Muslims fleeing ethnic conflict in the 1990s. The Muslim-majority nation is a popular destination for the Rohingya due to the perception it is friendly to other Muslims, as well as its peacefulness, relative wealth and appetite for foreign labour. Many Rohingya refugees already have family in Malaysia.

As we guard our borders, we cannot let people die

Anwar Ibrahim

The country’s ruling Perikatan Nasional coalition has defended its decision to turn away the boats, but opposition leaders have asked the government to accommodate them. Democracy icon Anwar Ibrahim, who was until earlier this year tipped to become the nation’s next prime minister, on Tuesday compared the plight of the Rohingya to that of the Palestinians and suggested Malaysia “set parameters” for new arrivals to be housed in a special controlled area.

Starving Rohingya refugees, who were adrift at sea for weeks after failing to reach Malaysia, following their rescue by the Bangladeshi coastguard on April 16. Photo: AP

“I think we should safeguard our humanity,” he said in a Facebook video. “As we guard our borders, we cannot let people die, moreover they are the victim of tyranny by their own government.”

Perikatan Nasional, which came to power in early March through a political coup, has largely been against accepting further Rohingya – with the exception of some members of the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) who have called for the country to prioritise humanitarian concerns.

“To the people, understand the real issue of ethnic cleansing, the fate of refugees and human-trafficking syndicates, and don’t take advantage of a bad situation,” said PAS international bureau chief Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi in a statement. “To the government of Malaysia, secure borders but show empathy for refugees and come up with a concrete, long-term framework.”