Press Digest: Rohingya pays RM6,000 for an unknown destination

PETALING JAYA: The Rohingyas in Myanmar had paid as much as RM6,000 per person to syndicates solely to leave the country without knowing their destination in seeking protection.
According to Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation Malaysia (Merhrom) president Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani, the Rohingyas did not target Malaysia specifically as their destination.
They instead submitted their fate to the syndicates and boat agents that brought them out of Myanmar, Utusan Malaysia reported today.
"The Rohingya people were not informed clearly by the syndicates and agents on their destination to seek shelter," Zafar Ahmad said.
"They did not intend to come to Malaysia. To seek protection and leave on boats, each of them had to pay around RM5,000 to RM6,000 to the syndicates and agents.
"Those on the boats did not know the destination they are heading. What they can think of is to safe themselves from becoming a victim of the persecution by the Myanmar government."
He said currently there is an estimated 8,000 Rohingya "boat people" on the water without having any clue of their destination.
"How long can they survive with little food, water and medicine? They have been on the seas since two months ago. They are starving, dehydrated and sick. The number of women and children on board is also high," he said.
Zafar Ahmad also urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the United Nations to intervene in finding a solution to problems faced by the Rohingyas in Myanmar.
Failing to do so, he said the world would be seeing more boat people risking their lives to seek protection in other countries.
He added both organisations must continuously pressure Myanmar to stop the persecution on Rohingyas and recognise them as citizens.