Use Diplomatic Channel To Resolve Rohingya Issue - Malaysia's PAS Leader

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- PAS (the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, an Islamist political party in Malaysia) president Abdul Hadi Awang has urged the government to use diplomatic channel to resolve the issue on atrocities and oppression against the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. He said the crisis occurring in that country not only demanded the intervention of Malaysia but all the countries that signed the United Nations (UN) charter. "This also included ASEAN nations and all member countries of the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) as well as all human rights activists because the government of Myanmar has committed violations of human rights," he said when speaking at the 'Solidarity for Rohingya' gathering here, on Sunday. Also present at the gathering were Prime Minister Najib Razak and his deputy Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Foreign Minister Anifah Aman, UMNO (the United Malays National Organisation) and PAS leaders as well as 20,000 people, including ethnic Rohingyas residing in Malaysia. Abdul Hadi said PAS participated in the Sunday's rally because it was held in the name of Islam and humanity. "Political boundaries do not prevent us from uniting to defend human rights," he said. Meanwhile, PAS Youth chief Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz, when met by Bernama, supported his president's call that diplomatic channel should be used to stop the atrocities against the Rohingyas. "Using diplomatic channel is the best way, we need to apply pressure in one voice to tell the government of Myanmar that what they are committing is out of the thinking box of normal humans, who think properly," he said. --BERNAMA