IS can exploit Rohingya crisis to expand its influence

PETALING JAYA: Armed Forces chief Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin has told the Myanmar government that the global militant terrorist group, the Islamic State (IS) could exploit the ongoing Rohingya crisis if the issue is not handled effectively.
In a statement to clear the air over his visit to Mynamar, which had triggered all sorts of speculation, the armed forces said Zulkifeli was in Myanmar as part of his final tour of Asean countries, prior to his retirement.
The statement said Zulkifeli had expressed the same view to Myanmar President U Htin Kyan.
In the meeting, General Tan Sri Zulkifeli had stressed that Daesh was a threat to Malaysia and Asean countries.
“He also said that the threat is real and Malaysia is looking into the issue of militant threat seriously. He stressed that cooperation between Asean countries was needed to handle the threat of Daesh in this region,” it said in the statement.
The Rohingya crisis has caused many of the minority being displaced from their land, with victims claiming that the Myanmar army had tortured and raped.
The Myanmar government had so far denied these allegations, despite the world community condemning what had been going on in the Rakhine state.
Diplomatic ties with Myanmar have been strained this past week after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak last Sunday led a public rally to protest the treatment of Rohingya in Myanmar, calling for Myanmar to put an end to the crisis.
Following this, the Myanmar government through its Labour, Immigration and Population Ministry stated that it had stopped sending its workers to Malaysia in a statement on Tuesday.
"Myanmar has temporarily stopped sending workers to Malaysia from Dec 6, 2016, because of the current situation in Malaysia," it said in a statement, without elaborating.