Kedah Rohingya Association Welcomes Myanmar's Move Not To Send Workers

ALOR SETAR (Kedah, Malaysia) Dec 13 (Bernama) -- The Myanmar government's decision prohibiting its citizens from working in Malaysia has been welcomed by the Kedah branch of the Rohingya Association of Malaysia. Its chairman Yusof Ali suggested that the job opportunities be filled by Rohingya refugees in the country instead. "The Malaysian government should consider employing us to fill the vacancies. "What is more important is that the Rohingya can make a living to support their families who have been abandoned by their own country," he said when contacted by Bernama here, Tuesday. It is estimated that there are 2,000 Rohingya in the country who still do not have jobs, while almost 5,000 are employed in the plantation and construction sectors and as labourers. Yusof said Myanmar's decision also showed that the country was starting to feel the international pressure. Before the whole world including the United Nations and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation did not care about us, but when Malaysia opened its mouth, everyone who had turned a blind eye are now coming to the defence of the Rohingya community," he said. Meanwhile, Yusof hopes world countries including Malaysia will continue to put pressure on Myanmar because the persecution against the Muslim minority community in Rakhine, Myanmar, still persisted. "I got the latest information that the Rohingya are being tormented and driven away, some are even kidnapped and held for ransom and killed if the ransom is not paid. It was good of Malaysia to voice out, advocating for human rights," he said. Myanmar recently reportedly banned its citizens from working in Malaysia in response to the nation's (Malaysia) firm stand on the issue of the persecution of its Rohingya community. -- BERNAMA