The Rohingya crisis in Myanmar may have come to a head but little can be done to improve the situation if the republic remains in denial about the ongoing atrocities, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman.
"When they do not admit the violence or the atrocities committed against the Rohingya, it is very difficult (to take action). Only when they recognize what had actually happened can we plan and assist in the next course of action," he told reporters, here, today.
Anifah was speaking in response to a statement issued by the chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the matter which he described as "a misrepresentation of the reality of the situation".
Anifah, who had earlier issued a separate statement announcing Malaysia's motion to "disassociate itself" from the ASEAN chairman's statement, said that Malaysia has its own stance on this issue which should be recognised as a humanitarian crisis.
He said the Malaysian government is urging its counterpart in Myanmar to end the atrocities and take appropriate actions to, among others, allow access to humanitarian aid and grant citizenship to the Rohingya.
"We want humanitarian aid to be delivered unimpeded and hope that Rohingya refugees could go back to Myanmar without any restrictions," said Anifah after hosting a dialogue with Malaysian students and diaspora in New York City.
"Everyone knows that the Rohingya have no documents on them as they are not recognized as citizens of Myanmar. If they are required to prove citizenship through a document, then it is impossible for the refugees to return home," he added.
Two days ago, ASEAN chairman Alan Peter Cayetano who is also Philippines Secretary of Foreign Affairs, published a statement expressing ASEAN foreign ministers' concern "over the recent developments in northern Rakhine state of Myanmar".
The statement, which came on the sidelines of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in Manhattan, made no mention of the Rohingya as "one of the affected communities", according to Anifah.
"The chairman's statement does not represent the consensus of all member states. This violates the ASEAN Charter which clearly states that all decisions must be made on a consensus-basis.
"We will not be asking for the statement to be retracted but would like to highlight that the statement should not have quoted ASEAN foreign affairs because there was no consensus achieved," he said.
The Rohingya issue is currently being discussed at the levels of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as well as the UN.
Muhammed Ahmad Hamdan
Mon Sep 25 2017
According to Anifah, the Rohingya issue is currently being discussed at the levels of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as well as the UN. - Filepic/REUTERS
Dua individu ditahan bantu siasatan minta, terima sogokan daripada firma guaman
SPRM menahan dua individu selama empat hari bagi membantu siasatan berkaitan penerimaan wang suapan daripada beberapa firma guaman.
Operasi PeWA: JPJ Pulau Pinang sita 22 kenderaan, keluar 63 saman
JPJ Pulau Pinang menyita 22 kenderaan yang dipandu warga asing dalam Ops Khas Pemandu Warga Asing (PeWA) di Bulatan Tun Hussain Onn, Seberang Jaya.
Lisa BLACKPINK beli rumah ‘tersorok’ di Beverly Hills, harga RM19 juta
Tidak ada yang mengejutkan apabila Lisa BLACKPINK telah menambah satu lagi aset berbentuk kediaman.
Stoking tertera kalimah Allah: Hukuman penjara, denda terhadap Wai Loong dibatalkan
Hakim membenarkan semakan difailkan tertuduh supaya pengakuan bersalah dibuatnya atas pertuduhan berkenaan, bukan akuan jelas dan tanpa bersyarat.
[TERKINI] Letusan Gunung Ruang: Indonesia keluar amaran tahap tertinggi
Pihak berkuasa Indonesia meningkatkan amaran keselamatan ke tahap tertinggi selepas Gunung Ruang yang meletus beberapa kali di Kepulauan Sangihe kelmarin, mengeluarkan asap setinggi lebih 1.6 kilometer (km) sehingga memaksa ratusan penduduk dipindahkan.
Mengenang sumbangan dan jasa Joseph Kurup
Pensyarah Kanan Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Dr Romzi Ationg berkongsi pandangan dan memperingati sumbangan dan jasa mendiang Joseph Kurup.
Ronaldo digantung dua perlawanan kerana berkelakuan ganas
Cristiano Ronaldo digantung dua perlawanan kerana menyiku lawan dan mengancam menyerang pengadil selepas Al Nassr tewas kepada Al Hilal.
PBAPP akan lepas air dari EMD jika Sungai Muda terus menyusut
PBAPP boleh melepaskan maksimum 600 juta liter air mentah sehari (JLH) dari EMD yang berfungsi sebagai sumber sokongan kemarau apabila Sungai Muda terus menyusut berikutan cuaca kering.
TikTok mulakan ujian untuk aplikasi perkongsian gambar dan teks
TikTok Notes akan memudahkan perkongsian perkembangan harian dengan lebih mudah dan kreatif menggunakannya.
Amir Hamzah ketuai delegasi Malaysia ke mesyuarat IMF, Bank Dunia di Washington
Amir Hamzah mengetuai delegasi Malaysia ke Washington, Amerika Syarikat bagi menghadiri Mesyuarat Musim Bunga IMF dan Kumpulan Bank Dunia.
Perkasa pembangunan Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan - Anifah
Usaha membangunkan Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan perlu diperkasakan dan melalui proses transformasi supaya wilayah itu berada pada landasan tepat bagi menuju era digitalisasi.
Anifah Aman kecewa masalah air Labuan berlarutan, sukar tarik pelabur
Dewan Rakyat pada 13 Oktober lepas meluluskan RUU bagi meminda Akta SPAN 2006, bertujuan memperkemas tadbir urus dan memperkukuh SPAN.
Bekas Menteri Luar Anifah Aman dilantik Pengerusi Perbadanan Labuan
Bekas Menteri Luar Senator Tan Sri Anifah Aman telah dilantik sebagai Pengerusi Perbadanan Labuan (LC) bagi tempoh dua tahun berkuat kuasa 19 Jun 2023.
Kerjasama kunci utama pamerkan potensi Asia - Anifah Aman
Kerjasama yang ikhlas dan bermakna merupakan kunci untuk mengungkap potensi besar Asia dan akan membolehkan terwujudnya aturan dunia multipolar.
Pelantikan Anifah sebagai Senator akan tingkatkan ekonomi Labuan - LCC
Dewan Perdagangan Labuan (LCC) berharap Senator Datuk Seri Anifah Aman yang baru dilantik dapat membantu meningkatkan pertumbuhan ekonomi pulau bebas cukai itu.
16 senator angkat sumpah Ahli Dewan Negara
Mereka ialah ADUN Kedah Abdul Nasir Idris, Setiausaha PAS Kedah Musoddak Ahmad, Dr A. Lingeshwaran, Amir Ghazali dan Presiden PCS Datuk Seri Anifah Aman.
Utamakan segera pelaksanaan Artikel 112C dan 112D Perlembagaan Persekutuan - Anifah Aman
Parti Cinta Sabah menggesa Kerajaan Pusat dan Kerajaan Sabah untuk mengutamakan pelaksanaan Artikel 112C dan 112D Perlembagaan Persekutuan.
PRU15: "Saya tidak tahu perjanjian dengan Anifah" - Ismail Sabri
Perdana Menteri jawab dakwaan Anifah ditawar jawatan menteri oleh Presiden UMNO sekiranya BN tubuh kerajaan selepas PRU15.
PRU15: Anifah akan bantu kempen PH di Ranau - Anwar
Anifah akan membantu calon PH di Ranau yang diwakili oleh Apirin Jahalan @ Taufik Sham.
PRU15: Pertembungan dengan Daud Yusof ibarat 'rematch' - Mohamad Alamin
Mohamad menang PRK Kimanis pada Januari 2020 dengan majoriti lebih 2,000 undi menewaskan calon Warisan, Datuk Karim Bujang.