COMMENT We have just seen how PAS and even Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak came together in solidarity with the Rohingya community.

The controversial Rohingya solidarity rally, which saw some 10,000 people congregating at Stadium Mini Titiwangsa recently, was to condemn the way the Myanmar government, in particular Nobel prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, handled the Rohingya issue.

At the back of my mind, I was telling myself, at least Myanmar has produced one Nobel Peace Prize winner, but Malaysia none although we have many who qualify to receive their medals of service excellence when fighting for the underprivileged community.

From the video, it was obvious to many of us that Najib appeared very desperate and was trying to reverse his growing unpopularity, something which even the deputy director-general of the Myanmar President’s office, U Zaw Htay could see through.

What matters is sincerity

Najib was trying to show the PAS members that he was with them, but was he really with them at heart, or was he merely trying to win their votes? I foresee that both PAS and Umno will come to an agreement not to have three-cornered fights, and now, Najib needed to win the hearts of the PAS grassroots.

Politics aside, it is his sincerity over the Rohingya issue that is being questioned. This was also a question raised by most people I talked to.

To many of us, the speech has backfired. It has not only soured the bilateral relations between the two countries, but it has raised further questions about Najib’s own integrity in dealing with issues that are important.

By stoking on religious sensitivities involving a community that has allegedly been sidelined by the Myanmar government, Najib was simply saying that he would rather look at the speck of sawdust on someone’s eye, but not notice the log in his own eye.

He is telling us that he is not even aware of the fake news (please read the BBC report) that is being recycled using photographs from other sources. It should have raised some alarm for someone of Najib’s stature before he is seen as taking sides.

We do not need to go as far as Sarawak. Right here in his backyard, the Orang Asli community in Gua Musang is complaining that their rights to a livelihood have been violated. What has Najib done to solve the issue?

Another good example is the numerous issues raised by the Hindraf movement. Was there sincerity in Najib? Best to ask its chairperson, P Waythamoorthy.

If I may suggest, Najib has done nothing to address the concerns of losing the forests which provide a livelihood to the Orang Asli nor has he helped to solve the stateless people in this country. There are thousands of stateless Indians born in this country who are helpless.

So, for Najib to suddenly champion the Rohingya cause now is indeed suspicious. He could have at least offered what Indonesia has extended to both the Myanmar government and the Rohingya community. This is the role and atmosphere of camaraderie that any government wanting to help solve a regional issue has to operate in. Najib has really ruffled a few feathers in Myanmar.

And like the agreement that he signed with the Hindraf back in 2012, the Rohingya issue may not be solved at all.