EXCLUSIVE - Mahathir: Malaysia sees Turkey as alternative trade partner

AA

Mehmet Ozturk, Sorwar Alam and Zuhal Demirci |
26.07.2019
ANKARA

Malaysia’s PM talks to Anadolu Agency on bilateral ties with Turkey, global issues such as Rohingya, Uighur and Palestine

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Mahathir Bin Mohamad said on Friday that Turkey could be an alternative source of import for his country.

In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency in the capital Ankara during his tightly packed four-day official visit to Turkey, the veteran politician of Muslim world talked about bilateral issues along with the Rohingya crisis, the Palestinian cause and the situation of Uyghur Muslims in East Turkestan, the area otherwise known as China’s Xinjiang province.

‘Gangsters’ squeezed RM80,000 from Rohingya in Malaysia to fund arms for insurgent group, says report

FMT

FMT Reporters
July 22, 2019 

Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: A Myanmar-based insurgent group has sourced some RM80,000 in funds from Rohingya refugees in Malaysia to buy firearms and ammunition, Bukit Aman told the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

The paper quoted Bukit Aman Special Branch Anti-Terrorist Division principal assistant director Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay as saying that the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa) has raised funds through a “gangster-like” extortion racket in seven states in the peninsular.

IGP on fight against terrorism in Malaysia and why we still need Sosma

malaymail  

21 July 2019
By G. Prakash

Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador answers questions during an interview with Malay Mail at his office in Bukit Aman Kuala Lumpur July 17, 2019. — Picture by Hari Anggara

KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador credits Malaysia’s counter terrorism success to the sharing of information with international counterparts who have more experience in fighting extremist ideologies.

The Counter Terrorism (E8) Division of the Bukit Aman Special Branch department has racked up an impressive number of arrests and stopped planned attacks from happening here.

“We have been watching closely the developments taking place in the Middle East as there had been earlier concerns that the defeat of the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria and Iraq could lead to frustrated fighters who have yet to fulfill their mission to become martyrs,” Abdul Hamid told the Malay Mail.

Malaysia preparing strategic paper to help Rohingya refugees

malaysia kini
 Bernama
17.07.2019

PARLIAMENT
| The Foreign Ministry is preparing a strategic paper to determine the optimum role Malaysia can play to help the Rohingya refugees, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah (photo, above) said Malaysia is consistent in championing the fate of the community, especially in bringing their oppressors to justice.

Dozens of Malaysia-bound Rohingyas detained in Myanmar

Bangkok Post
10 Jul 2019
writer: Kyodo News 

FILE PHOTO: A Rohingya woman and her baby are seen detained in a police station after a fishing boat carrying more than sixty Rohingya refugees was found beached at Rawi island in the province of Satun, June 12, 2019. (Reuters)

YANGON: Police in strife-ridden Rakhine State in western Myanmar have detained dozens of Rohingya Muslims who were seeking to get to Malaysia by boat, state media reported on Wednesday.

The 63 members of the stateless, persecuted minority in Myanmar -- 29 men and 34 women -- and four crew members were arrested near a beach in Maungtaw, Rakhine, on Tuesday, after their boat ran out of fuel in bad weather and drifted ashore, according to the report.

Four foreigners detained for militant links in Malaysia

REUTERS
Reporting by Rozanna Latiff;
Editing by Kim Coghill
July 9, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia has detained four foreigners, including two ethnic Rohingya from Myanmar, on suspicion of being involved in militant groups, police said on Tuesday.

Malaysia is home to tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, who have for years arrived in the Southeast Asian nation from Myanmar or Bangladesh seeking asylum.

More than 700,000 Rohingya refugees fled western Myanmar for Bangladesh, U.N. agencies say, after insurgents attacked Myanmar security forces in August 2017, triggering a sweeping army-led crackdown.

Both of the Rohingya suspects were detained for providing support to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), the insurgent group said to be behind the 2017 attacks, Malaysia’s Inspector General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador said in a statement.

Rohingya group thanks govt for assistance with refugee registration

THE Star ONLINE
Wednesday, 3 Jul 2019

PETALING JAYA: A Rohingya rights group has welcomed the government's plan to resolve the problem of registering Rohingya refugees by placing officers from the police and the Immigration Department in UNHCR's "Refugee Status Determination" process.

Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia (Merhrom) president Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani (pic) said they had long been receiving complaints from the Rohingya community that they could not register with the UNHCR despite a five-year wait.

Gov't committed to locating PDRM, Immigration in tackling Rohingya issue

Bernama.com

Last update: 01/07/2019

KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 (Bernama) — The government is committed to placing the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) together with the Immigration Department soon in resolving the issue of registration of Rohingya refugees.

They are now under the supervision of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said 173, 731 Rohingya comprising 124,753 refugees and 48,978 asylum seekers were recorded by the UNHCR up to May 31 this year.

“The government had discussed with the UNHCR to place both agencies together in the refugee status determination process...however, it has not been finalised yet " she said in the Dewan Rakyat today.

--BERNAMA

Link :http://www.bernama.com/en/general/news.php?id=1740901

Malaysia calls for ‘justice’ and citizenship for Rohingya Muslims

COCONUTS YANGON 

By AFP Jun 23, 2019

Yangon time

2015 FILE PHOTO

Malaysia on Saturday said the perpetrators of violence against Myanmar’s Rohingya minority must “be brought to justice”, in sharp comments delivered at a normally tame regional summit.

Myanmar does not recognize the Rohingya as citizens, instead officially labeling them “Bengalis”, short-hand for illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh.

Dr M suggests international supervision of Rohingya returning to Myanmar

malaymail 

Published on 23 June 2019

BY G. PRAKASH

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad speaking during a press conferences in conjunction with his three-day visit at the Malaysia High Commission London June 15, 2019. — Bernama pic 

BANGKOK, June 23 — An independent international community should monitor the repatriation of the Rohingya back to Myanmar to ensure they are not punished, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today. 

PM Mahathir vows ahead of ASEAN meet to help Rohingya bound for Malaysia

A

cna

21 Jun 2019 

Last year Mahathir Mohamad castigated Myanmar civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi for defending the military's crackdown on the Rohingya. (Photo: AFP/Mohd RASFAN)

 

BANGKOK: Malaysia's prime minister on Friday (Jun 21) vowed to help Rohingya Muslims seeking refuge in Malaysia, reiterating the call for Southeast Asian leaders to "stop the oppression" of the stateless minority group expelled from Myanmar.

Boat captain says he was paid RM13, 314 to take 65 Rohingya to Malaysia

THE Star ONLINE 
Thursday, 13 Jun 2019

BANGKOK (ANN): Police suspect a group of 65 Rohingya and five Myanmar men may have been trafficked from Bangladesh where over a million of them are being sheltered, after a Thai captain admitted that he was paid to take them across the Andaman Sea to Southeast Asia.

Will Malaysia finally address the human trafficking of Rohingya?

THE Star ONLINE 

Sunday, 9 Jun 2019

by puttanee kangkun

Horrific tragedy: In 2015 authorities discovered death camps and mass graves on both sides of the Thailand and Malaysian border.

IN A FEW WEEKS, Thailand and Malaysia will again be ranked in the US Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP report) for their efforts in combating human trafficking. Many government’s rightly go to great lengths to avoid the lowest ranking – Tier 3 – as it can invite sanctions and have other punitive ripple effects, such as discouraging foreign investment.

South China Sea dispute, Rohingya crisis are key regional threats: Malaysian defence minister

THE STRAITS TIMES
Shefali Rekhi
Asia News Network Editor

1st June 2019

Malaysia's Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue on June 31, 2019.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

SINGAPORE - Disturbances in the South China Sea, the movement of Rohingyas in the region and non-traditional security threats such as maritime and cyber security risks pose the biggest challenges to the region, Malaysia's Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu said on Saturday (June 1).

Bangladesh police 'rescue' dozens of Rohingya being trafficked to Malaysia

REUTERS
May 14, 2019

COX’S BAZAR, Bangladesh (Reuters) - Bangladeshi police prevented dozens of Rohingya Muslims, most of them women, about to be trafficked to Malaysia by boat, authorities said on Tuesday.

Traffickers had picked up at least 69 Rohingya from refugee camps in the Cox’s Bazar district, promising them work in Malaysia where many Rohingya already live, police said.

Scores of Rohingya Muslims have boarded boats in recent months to try to reach Malaysia, part of what authorities fear could be a new wave of people smuggling by sea after a 2015 crackdown on trafficking.

Police nab four over Ramadan terror, assassination plot to avenge fireman Adib’s death

malaymail 

Publishedon 13 May 2019 BY R. LOHESWAR

Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador speaks during a press conference at the Bukit Aman police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur May 13, 2019. — Picture by Mukhriz Hazim

KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 — The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) revealed today they have apprehended four men who were planning terror attacks and assassinations in Malaysia in the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan.

World recognises Mahathir’s influence, leadership quality

theSundaily
12 May 2019

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad delivers his address at the 73rd United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York on Sept 29, 2018. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: In just a year of his tenure as Malaysia’s seventh prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been recognised as one of the world’s most influential men.

In fact, earlier in January, he was named the Muslim Man of the Year by The Muslim 500, a ranking of the world’s 500 most influential Muslims.

Rohingya women, girls being trafficked to Malaysia for marriage

Ajazeera

by Kaamil Ahmed

08-05-2019

Al Jazeera reveals how refugees in Bangladesh camps are vulnerable to proposals from single Rohingya men in Malaysia.

 Hamida holds up a picture of her 15-year-old daughter-in-law, who was brought from Myanmar and into Bangladesh and then smuggled to Malaysia to marry her son [Kaamil Ahmed/Al Jazeera]

Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Senwara Begum travelled for two weeks by road and boat, over mountains and along rivers, guided only by a trafficker she feared, before she reached Malaysia to marry a man she had never met.

Group calls for release of hundreds of Rohingya in Saudi detention centre

FTM
FMT Reporters
April 18, 2019

PETALING JAYA: A group representing Rohingya concerns in Malaysia has spoken in defence of hundreds of its countrymen who went on a hunger strike to protest their seven-year detention in Saudi Arabia. 

Malaysia begins inquiry into 2015 discovery of mass graves, human trafficking camps

REUTERS
April 17, 2019 /

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia began a public inquiry on Wednesday into the discovery of mass graves and suspected human trafficking camps in the jungles near its border with Thailand, which prompted a regional crisis in 2015, and accusations over obstruction of justice.

The dense jungles of southern Thailand and northern Malaysia have been a major stop-off point for smugglers bringing people to Southeast Asia by boat from Myanmar, most of them Rohingya Muslims who say they are fleeing persecution, and Bangladesh.