PRESS STATEMENT from MERHROM
PRESS STATEMENT
MERHROM WELCOMES THE
GOVERNMENT MOVE IN TACKLING ROHINGYA ISSUE.
Myanmar
Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia (MERHROM) welcomes the plan of the Malaysian government to
placing the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) and the Immigration Department soon
in resolving the issue of Registration of Rohingya refugees.
MERHROM would like to thank Datuk Seri Dr. Wan Azizah
Wan Ismail, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia for this initiative because
thousands of Rohingya asylum seekers are still waiting for the registration
with the UNHCR office. They do not have any document from the UNHCR while
waiting for the refugee status determination process. They are classified as
undocumented and at high risk of arrest and detention.
MERHROM continuosly receiving complaints from the
Rohingya community that they waited for 5 years now but still cannot get
registered with the UNHCR. Another Rohingya man said that he waited for 8 years
now for the registration. He really hopes that this year the UNHCR will call
him for the refugee status determination process.
Undocumented Rohingya asylum seekers faced many
challenges especially to get treatment and to get job for their survival due to
no document. All government hospitals and private clinics required a document
in order to get treatment. Being undocumented denied the Rohingya from access
to treatment. We hope the UNHCR will issue a letter to all Rohingya asylum
seekers before they get their refugee status.
On top of that, they face difficulties to get job
because the employers afraid to employ undocumented person. This makes them
really in difficult situation to survive. In some cases, their salaries were
not paid by the employers but they cannot claim their salary due to no
document. Delay registration only exposes the vulnerable Rohingya asylum
seekers to more exploitation.
MERHROM appeals to the Malaysian government to
consider giving temporary work permit to the Rohingya refugees in order for us
to work legally without the fear of arrest and detention. We are not going to
steal the local job opportunities as we work in dangerous, dirty and difficult
job which Malaysian do not want to work.
We owe a lot to the Malaysian government and the
Malaysian people for their support to us. We have been seeking refuge in this
country for more than 3 decades. We will continue to make significant
contributions to the development of Malaysia and its economy until we can return
home.
MERHROM really hope the plan to place PDRM and
Immigration together in the refugee status determination process will be
implemented soon to speed up the registration process for the Rohingya and
subsequently to reduce the corruption.
We thank the Malaysia government for the continuos
effort to resolve the Rohingya Genocide. We will never forget the support of
the Malaysian government and its people for us, the survivors of Genocide.
Thank you.
Signed,
Zafar Ahmad Bin Abdul Ghani
President
Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights
Organization Malaysia (MERHROM)
Tel No: Mbl +6016-6827287 / 011-58888505
Email: rights4rohingyas@gmail.com
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