Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) is pushing for an emergency motion on the Rohingya refugee crisis to be tabled in Parliament, which will resume sitting next Monday after a one-month break.

 

Party secretary-general S Arutchelvan said a letter on the motion has already been submitted to the Dewan Rakyat speaker through its sole parliamentarian, Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj ( photo ).

 

“PSM is of the position that since our country has shown concern and humanity to the victims of the Nepal earthquake, likewise we cannot turn a blind eye to the thousands of Royingyas starving at our shores.

 

“PSM hopes that BN and Pakatan Rakyat parliamentarians will support this motion because it involves the right to live,” Arutchelvan said in a statement today.

 

The motion, among others, calls on the Parliament to ensure Malaysia’s approach to the refugees from Myanmar be based on humanitarian principles, and preventing them from coming to shore is “irresponsible and will spoil our national image at the international arena”.

 

It also urges Malaysia to host discussions with other Asean countries to share the burden of hosting the refugees.

 

Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia have been turning away Rohingya refugees fleeing violence and persecution at home over the past few weeks.

 

Migrant activists estimate that this has left between 6,000 to 8,000 people stranded at sea.

 

Malaysia currently does not confer any official recognition to refugees, and treats them as undocumented migrants instead.

 

UN sec-gen alarmed

 

Apart from the increasing pressure from civil society groups, the crisis at sea is drawing international attention as well - including from the United Nations and the heads of several of its agencies.

 

A spokesperson for UN secretary-general Ban Ki Moon said Ban is alarmed by the report of the stranded refugees, and has urged the governments adhere to their obligation to rescue at sea and non-refoulement.

 

Ban urged Southeast Asian countries to take collective as well as individual action on the issue, including tackling its root causes.

 

“He also urges governments to facilitate timely disembarkation and keep their borders and ports open in order to help the vulnerable people who are in need,” the spokesperson said in a May 14 statement.