NOVANEWS
Prime Minister Najib Razak says he does not care if Malaysia’s protest and pressure on the Rohingya issue threatens relations with Myanmar.
KUALA LUMPUR: Referring to the plight of the Rohingya Muslims as a humanitarian issue, Prime Minister Najib Razak said he does not care if Malaysia’s firm stand on the issue threatens relations with Myanmar.
“Myanmar says I am interfering in their personal business. I do not care.
“We want to show Myanmar and tell Aung San Suu Kyi (Myanmar’s de facto leader) that enough is enough,” he said during his speech at the solidarity rally for the Rohingya today where he was greeted by the cheers of the 10,000-strong crowd, many of whom were Rohingya.
Najib was referring to the Myanmar president’s office deputy director U Zaw Htay’s reminder to Malaysia on Friday not to interfere with the affairs of their country.
“I’m here today not as Najib Razak, but as a Malaysian and a Muslim. There is no assembly more honourable than that which is done for Islam,” he said.
The Asean Charter states that member countries cannot interfere with the affairs of other member countries but Najib said the charter also protects human rights.
“They’ve only chosen to read one portion and ignore the rest,” Najib said.
In affirming the role of Asean, Najib suggested that Indonesian President Joko Widodo also hold a large rally to protest the persecution of the Rohingya Muslims by the Myanmar government.
Najib also criticized Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung Sang Suu Kyi, who he says is reluctant to meet Malaysian representatives to discuss the issue.
“I asked Foreign Minister Anifah Aman to meet his counterpart, Aung Sang Suu Kyi, but she responded, ‘I don’t want to meet with you if you’re going to talk about the Rohingya issue’.
“If that’s the case then what is the point of saying Asean is a community, what is the point of a Nobel Peace Prize?” Najib said.
