The Rohingya plight is our concern and we cannot just push it to other counties.

Other countries will push it back to us.

The forgotten people will be pushed around repeatedly until someone takes responsibility for them.

Why not Malaysia, for once, take responsibility and show the way for other nations to emulate?

It is easy because the international community will help us and support us. The crisis is only temporary.

Waiting for Myanmar to take responsibility is a lost cause.

The Rohingyas are refused citizenship and persecuted in their own country, Myanmar, and that’s why they flee oppression and persecution.

They prefer to reach Malaysia, one of the countries in the region that has shown some kindness.

But that journey by sea and by land is perilous. Some die, some are trafficked and some end up as slaves for human traffickers in the region.

Whoever is left from these ordeals reach our shores.

We have always welcomed them as part of our responsibility, as an Islamic nation and as a member of the Organisation of Islamic Countries.

Now, it is our responsibility as an Asean member to take responsibility.

We cannot push them out to sea as other Asean nations have done.

Let’s take responsibility and do something concrete to help this stateless people who are rejected and persecuted by their own country.

C SIVARRAAJH is MIC Youth chairperson.