Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian opposition parties have called on Southeast Asian countries to be firmer with Myanmar to end decades-old violence against Rohingya Muslims in western Rakhine State.
Opposition leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said on Tuesday that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) regional bloc should further pressure Myanmar to immediately cease violence in Rakhine, rather than merely initiating discussions with the country.
“Asean’s statement of merely initiating a discussion should have been done 30 years ago... not now when the matter is at worst situation," she said.
The press conference was held amid ongoing operations by Myanmar’s military in northern Rakhine launched after fatal October 9 attacks on police outposts, since when United Nations reports say an estimated 27,000 Rohingya have fled into neighboring Bangladesh.
Since last month, Malaysia has heavily criticized Myanmar’s government and military over the violence, with Prime Minister Najib Razak and his cabinet referring to it as "genocide” or “ethnic cleansing".
After Malaysia’s government organized a Razak-led December 4 protest against the violence, Myanmar accused Malaysia of meddling in its internal affairs.
On Tuesday, Ismail said that Malaysia -- as a member of Asean -- should also play a more assertive role in ensuring peace in northern Rakhine.
"We support whatever steps taken by the (Malaysian) government and Asean thus far... But we feel there must be more pressure,” she stressed.
"Therefore we urge for an end to the violence against the Rohingya and to step up humanitarian efforts and assistance."
Ismail said peace in Myanmar is crucial not only for the Rohingya but also for other minorities such as ethnic Karen Christians, who she described as “equally suppressed”.
