IndexIntroductionWho are the Rohingya?The situation in MyanmarEscaping from Myanmar: the boat trip to MalaysiaImpact on MalaysiaPoliticsSecurityDealing with the CIVID-19 pandemic crisis Malaysia's solution to address the Rohingya crisisConclusionIntroductionThe position Malaysia's strategic geographic and economic position is strong and fast growth makes Malaysia a destination for humans Ideal for migrant trafficking and smuggling. For this reason, many foreigners migrate to Malaysia in search of halal livelihoods and a better life. Some of them have chosen to enter Malaysia legally through armored doors, but some also choose to commit their lives by walking the rat trail, that is, entry not controlled either by road across the Malaysia-Thailand, Sabah and Sarawak border with Kalimantan or by boat, for example, from Indonesia through the Straits of Malacca using a syndicate or privately, which is usually done via a syndicate. The largest population of traffickers entering Malaysia belongs to the Rohingya ethnic group. The Rohingya have fled to seek refuge and a better life due to the internal crisis of the Myanmar government, deemed inhumane, and the injustices against them. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay In this era of globalization, various humanitarian issues have emerged like mushrooms growing after rain around us. Indeed, the Southeast Asian region itself is no exception as it is also plagued by the issue of the massacre of the Rohingya ethnic minority, which has intensified lately. Attention should be paid to this ethnic issue as it has become an international issue. The Rohingya issue has become very serious as it involves clashes between the two religions and ethnic genocide. The Rohingya crisis, unresolved to date, has deliberately delayed its resolution efforts, perhaps because it has involved Muslims who have a right to their homeland since their birth. they have been born in this world for centuries. There is no denying that these are indigenous peoples such as Bamar, Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Mon, Arakanese, Shan and various other ethnic groups from non-Muslim backgrounds. However, the illegal and unsupported arrival of the Rohingya has many effects and dilemmas on Malaysia, including political, economic, national security and health of Malaysians, especially in relation to the global pandemic of the Covid-19 epidemic. Who are the Rohingya? Myanmar is located in Southeast Asia, close to some other neighboring countries like Thailand, Bangladesh and India. According to history, it is also formerly known as Burma. There are numerous ethnic groups in this country, one of them is Rohingya who are Muslim, but the most important religion in Myanmar is Buddhism. Since 1848, Myanmar has gained independence. The nation was ruled by the military from 1962 to 2011 and was subsequently taken over by a new government with a return to democratic rule until the current government has been in place for nearly a decade. On June 18, 1989, the Constitutional Council of Myanmar's ruling military had changed the country's name from Burma to Myanmar. Basically these two words refer to exactly the same thing however Myanmar is the more official version compared to Burma. It is initially controversial that some nations refused to use the name to oppose the regime's legitimacy. On the other hand, the use of the term "Myanmar" has become more widespread over the time, even in 2016 Ms. Suu Kyi, the current State Counselor of Myanmar, explained that the name used was not the issue sinceboth titles resemble the same nation. Historically, the Rohingya are said to have existed in the early 7th century and were the first people of Rakhine state (formerly called Arakan) in Myanmar, the place where migrating workers from Arab traders, India and from Bangladesh. So are the Rohingyas of Persian, Arab and Pashtun origin. The word Rohingya itself derives from the Arabic word Rahma which means "mercy". For this reason, this type of migration was also expressed as an internal migration since Burma was administered by the British as a province of India, as stated by Human Rights Watch (HRW). Therefore, they have exactly the same physical, cultural and linguistic characteristics as South Asians, especially Bangladeshis. Furthermore, the languages they speak are Burmese and Rohingya. During 2012, the Rohingya population reached nearly 800,000 in western Myanmar. The situation in Myanmar Unfortunately, although the Rohingya are historically the first people of Arakan, western Myanmar, yet the Myanmar government has denied the Rohingya's status as a citizen of Myanmar and has refused to address and recognize the Rohingya as people. This explains why the Myanmar government has been recklessly removing and killing Rohingya people mercilessly due to religious differences since 2014. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the Rohingya are among, if not the most discriminated against people on the planet and that the Rohingya are among the many cultures of Myanmar. minorities. In truth, it is since the 1970s that the Rohingya ethic began migrating as unwanted refugees to all countries in the area in an attempt to escape the brutality medicated by the militants. However, in recent years it has happened that thousands of Rohingya refugees have fled Myanmar and migrated to neighboring countries, especially Muslim ones, including our Malaysia. More than 700,000 Rohingya refugees have entered Bangladesh to escape what the United Nations has called genocidal violence that follows decades of persecution and human rights violations. Fleeing Myanmar: the boat journey to MalaysiaAccording to Human Rights Watch (HRW), Rohingya were subjected to rape, violence and riots by the Myanmar authorities. Therefore, due to the dire conditions, they migrated to other nearby countries to find a safe place and a better life with their families. Rohingya began entering Malaysia in 2016, where traffickers fled from Thailand to Malaysia via boats as Thailand enforced laws involving the illegal smuggling syndicate. In addition to these reasons, Rohingya choose to flee to Malaysia due to religious factors. As Muslims, they think that the Malaysian government and Malays are more understanding and caring. Support for the Rohingya is a long-standing element of Malaysia's international Muslim solidarity agenda in Malaysia's foreign policy. Initially, in 2016, the Malaysian Prime Minister during that government stint had defended the Rohingya refugees as a representative of Malaysia for a time. protested the response and actions of the ASEAN convention of non-interference in the internal affairs of member states and condemned the ruler of Myanmar for his lack of humanity and for insulting Islam. According to the article published by The Diplomat, Prime Minister Najib Razak said that he will not close his eyes or shut his mouth and said that Malaysia must defend the Rohingya not only because they belong to the same religion, but because they are human beings. their lives have value. For the Rohingya fleeing Myanmar, Malaysia seemed to be the standard-bearer of hope. The increase in the number ofRohingya refugees registered as Persons of Concern (POC) with the UNHCR (United Nations Refugee Agency) in Malaysia shows that the battle is worsening, burdening and threatening the stability of this country. There are also a significant number of Rohingya currently in Malaysia who are undocumented. As the number of Rohingya refugees continues to increase over the years in Malaysia, their present actually threatens this country from many aspects, including social, national and economic security. With national resources depleted due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and financial crisis, xenophobia is also on the rise. During the 36th ASEANSummit in 2020, the current Prime Minister of Malaysia Muhyiddin Yassin stated that Malaysia can no longer accept Rohingya refugees outside Myanmar. Currently, Malaysia hosts the largest number of Rohingya refugees in ASEAN and the fourth highest number globally. In addition to the views of this government, the views of Malaysian men and women should also be at the forefront in this regard as it concerns the well-being and peace of the people and the country and the future of the next generation. The growing number of Rohingya refugees arriving in Malaysia has triggered a divided Malaysian view. A government supported by the group must allow these refugees to receive basic necessities such as food, drink and medical supplies. However, another group protested strongly and indicated that the government must send the Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar. This is because Malaysia is incapable of handling foreigners, especially Malaysia has found itself in a catastrophe to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic crisis which continues to increase. Phil Robertson, deputy director for Asia, said Malaysia's calls to uphold the rights of the Rohingya were shocking as they pushed desperate refugees back into the sea. The Malaysian Navy firmly seized 2 boats with approximately 200 Rohingya refugees off Malaysian waters and prevented the vessel from entering Malaysian waters regardless of what would happen to the refugees. Impact on Malaysian Politics Unfortunately, these cases of violence and genocide happened not only in Myanmar. The impact on their country, however, also dealt a severe blow to the economic, social, educational and political situation of Malaysia. The first effect that occurs on the Malaysian political system is that the relationship of the Malaysian government with the ASEAN countries will become stronger and closer. This is because during the issue of violence and elimination of the Rohingya ethnic group in Myanmar, the Malaysian government will regularly participate in conferences among ASEAN countries to discuss all proposals to address and prevent the problem from continuing to occur. This is to protect the Rohingya, defend Myanmar's taken-for-granted humanitarian position, and prevent it from continuing to have a detrimental effect on neighboring countries that accept the arrival of such refugees. The second effect is that the political system and the laws imposed on foreigners will change. This is because there has been an influx of ethnic Rohingya refugees in Malaysia in addition to the influx of foreign immigrants from other countries such as Indonesia, Bangladesh and others. The Rohingya community considers Malaysia to be a safe place to seek refuge, shelter, food sources and security to continue living. These refugees will use the UNCHR refugee card to live in Malaysia. With this UNCHR refugee card they can work in the country and employers have taken the opportunity to accept them because the cost of paying salaries for foreigners is cheaper than that of locals. However, there are also media reports that most of the refugeesRohingya in Malaysia are more likely to be street beggars than to work in the labor sector. Furthermore, due to this problem, a bad relationship will also be created between the two religions, which are Islam and Buddhism. This will affect the political system in Malaysia because the population in Malaysia is predominantly Muslim and followed Buddhism. The atrocities of Buddhists in Myanmar are likely to give a negative impression to Muslims in Malaysia. It is not impossible whether the clashes and disputes between the Malay and Chinese people have caused the necessary religious differences. Security In addition to this, since some Rohingya refugees do not have legal documents, some of them are trafficked and involved in criminal activities. What is even more worrying is that they are involved in drug trafficking, robberies, assaults and gangster activities. It is an extremely disturbing problem because it can threaten the safety of Malaysians. Malaysia's image has been tarnished due to the irresponsible actions of some individuals involved in human trafficking. The presence of illegal immigrants should be stopped in every way, in collaboration with the police, immigration and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. Human trafficking must be stopped immediately through comprehensive and effective strategies and approaches. Based on the UNTOC Protocol, "the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Particularly Women and Children; the Protocol against Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air; and the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacture and Trafficking of firearms, their parts, components and ammunition,” Malaysia is faced with a critical dilemma when Malaysia has been identified as a transit country in human trafficking crimes involving Rohingya refugees. This is because Malaysia's geographical factors are exposed and open, thus providing traffickers with the opportunity to bring Rohingya refugees to Malaysia. For the record, from 2015 to 2018, the PDRM investigated a total of 558 human trafficking cases and 70% of these cases were reported as Rohingya trafficking. The country has been affected once by the discovery of a large grave of Rohingya refugees in the jungle of Wang Kelian Perlis, first reported by the Malay Mail on May 27, 2015. Not only that, revenge criminal activities are among the criminal acts often committed by this group. ethnicity. Although there are no official statistics on the number of crimes committed by Rohingya refugees in the country, in terms of threats to national security, there is no specific data on the criminal record of the Rohingya ethnic group. Crimes committed by foreign citizens based on their country of origin and not based on their ethnicity. Dealing with the CIVID-19 Pandemic CrisisOn 25 January 2021, a year had passed, Malaysia was hit by Typhoon Covid-19. THE Covid-19 pandemic impacts Malaysia in many ways. But the most serious crisis in the country was the Rohingya crisis. Xenophobia can be observed by understanding the key issues during the peak of the pandemic. Ministry of Health (MOH) staff have remained committed and worked painlessly in the fight against the deadly pandemic. Since the initial wave of COVID-19, national borders have again been strictly controlled by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Since then, Malaysians coming from abroad also have to undergo quarantine at several quarantine centers that have been set up across the nation to date. To prevent the spread of COVID-19 from worsening, MCO has strengthened its enforcement in areas identified as high risk. Malaysians have given fantastic cooperation to the government and authorities to reduce the infection rate. According to a statement released byAstro Awani in a press release on 23 April 2020, Malaysian Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had repeatedly mentioned during his daily press conference that the government must close the border gates to stop the spread of the virus. COVID-19 from abroad to the nation. This statement clearly states that authorities must also close all fast lanes that allow foreigners from abroad to enter Malaysia illegally, such as Rohingya migrants, to reduce the spread of COVID-19. In March 2020, Malaysia was shocked by the illegal existence of Rohingya refugees in Malaysian waters in Langkawi. Initially, daily news of rising death and infection rates increased insecurity, particularly due to the prevalence of cases from abroad. Anxiety increased due to more than 1,000 "positive" cases during the mass gathering in Seri Petaling district, which had links to the Selayang wholesale market where the Rohingya community is known to work. That location was declared “an extension” of the largest reported cluster that developed following the mass gathering two months ago, which involved 2,000 Rohingya community members. This was a real dilemma plaguing Malaysia regarding Rohingya issues. It has been difficult to track them down and their refusal to cooperate with the authorities suggests that they did not have the proper documentation and that Rohingya refugees holding United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cards are available in this community. Apart from that, the leader of the unregistered Rohingya community group who claimed the right to complain during the epidemic, which ultimately became the starting point of netizens' complaints. The squeaky wheel is lubricated. Limited medical equipment in the nation has led to controversies regarding the treatment of illegal immigrants and citizens. The government distributes hundreds of millions of ringgit to many hospitals, but this is not enough. Priority must be given. This will explain why xenophobia could be seen by understanding the crucial issues during the peak of the epidemic. The Rohingya migrants visiting Malaysia on those dilapidated boats may have only Covid-19 but several other types of dangerous and infectious diseases. This could have a detrimental influence on the nation and its citizens. Malaysia has over time completed its part in providing protection to existing Rohingya asylum seekers. However, the problem has now changed. It's time for the authorities to get firm. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Although Malaysia is not a member of the 1951 Refugee Convention, Malaysia has been a very generous country in promoting peace internationally. Malaysia often accepts Rohingya migrants who have for years been oppressed and denied citizenship by the Myanmar government. At a time when the world looks the other way, Malaysia has taken on the responsibility of providing protection to these Rohingya asylum seekers. However, the situation has now changed. As Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin reminded, Malaysia is currently at war with an invisible army. All types of business and trade came to a halt following the execution of the first PKP and the economy was severely affected by this COVID-19 outbreak. In dealing with this uncertainty both domestically and globally, Malaysia must put its priorities in the right place, prioritizing its own people over others. No matter how critical the situation of our country is, try to find a way out like a hook on a straw. The solution of.
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