The government will act decisively on issues involving Rohingya refugees who have entered the country, including no longer accepting them after this, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster), Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said among the actions to be taken was to send the refugees to settlements provided by the Bangladeshi government.
He said at the same time, the Foreign Ministry was asked to discuss with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to place them in other third countries.
“The government has asked the Foreign Ministry to discuss with the UNHCR to send them to a third country, many countries in the world are questioning (disputing) how (the way) Malaysia manages these Rohingya refugees.
“So we ask them to accept. I asked the Foreign Ministry to discuss with them to accept the Rohingya as they are members of the convention on refugees.
“We will be firm this time, we will send them to Bangladesh and other third countries,” he said in a daily press conference here on Tuesday.
Commenting on the actions of 269 Rohingya illegal immigrants who made holes in their boats to enter Malaysia, he explained that the modus operandi of the foreigners had caused a lot of trouble to the country.
“It is true that the CDF (Chief of Defence Forces) made a statement yesterday… it is indeed their entry whose modus operandi is bothering us. When they entered, they break their boat.
“When they enter the waters, they jump into the sea. So we don’t have much choice whether to leave them at sea or save them on humanitarian grounds. I don’t want to let small children, parents die right in front of their eyes without saving them, ” he added.
Therefore, he said, the government this time decided to ensure that the refugee group involved was brought back to their place of origin.
“We have decided they will not be in our country. We will ask the Foreign Ministry to discuss with Bangladesh… if the refugees who come from Cox’s Bazar we will send back and place them on Bhasan Island (settlement) which the Bangladeshi government has built for Rohingya refugees, ” he said.
Malaysia bertegas, tidak lagi terima pelarian Rohingya – Ismail Sabri
Kerajaan akan bertindak tegas dalam isu melibatkan pelarian Rohingya yang menceroboh masuk ke negara ini, termasuk tidak lagi menerima mereka selepas ini, kata Menteri Kanan (Kluster Keselamatan), Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Beliau berkata, antara tindakan akan diambil adalah menghantar pelarian terbabit ke penempatan yang disediakan oleh kerajaan Bangladesh.
Katanya, pada masa sama, Kementerian Luar diminta berbincang dengan Suruhanjaya Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu bagi Pelarian (UNHCR) untuk menempatkan mereka di negara ketiga lain.
“Kerajaan minta Kementerian Luar berbincang dengan UNHCR supaya hantar mereka ke negara ketiga, banyak negara dunia yang persoalkan (mempertikai) macam mana (cara) Malaysia urus pelarian Rohingya ini.
“Jadi kita minta mereka terimalah. Saya minta Kementerian Luar bincang dengan mereka supaya terima Rohingya kerana mereka adalah ahli konvensyen mengenai pelarian.
“Kita akan tegas kali ini, kita akan hantar mereka ke Bangladesh dan negara ketiga lain,” katanya dalam sidang media harian di sini pada Selasa.
Mengulas mengenai tindakan 269 PATI Rohingya yang bertindak membocorkan bot mereka untuk menceroboh masuk Malaysia, jelas beliau, modus operandi warga asing itu telah banyak menyusahkan negara.
“Memang benar PAT (Panglima Angkatan Tentera) telah membuat kenyataan semalam… benar ada kemasukan mereka yang mana modus operandi mereka menyusahkan kita. Apabila mereka masuk, mereka tebuk bot mereka.
“Apabila masuk ke dalam perairan mereka terjun ke laut. Jadi kita tak mempunyai banyak pilihan sama ada nak biar mereka di laut atau selamatkan mereka atas dasar kemanusiaan. Takkan nak biar anak kecil, orang tua mati depan mata tanpa selamatkan mereka,” katanya lagi.
Justeru katanya, kerajaan kali ini membuat keputusan untuk memastikan kumpulan pelarian terbabit dibawa pulang ke tempat asal.
“Kita sudah buat keputusan mereka takkan berada di negara kita. Kita akan minta Kementerian Luar untuk bincang dengan Bangladesh… kalau pelarian yang datang dari Cox’s Bazar kita akan hantar balik dan tempatkan mereka di Pulau Bhasan (penempatan) yang kerajaan Bangladesh bina untuk pelarian Rohingya,” katanya.