Head of the Opposition Leader's Office Malek Hussin today unearthed a 2012 motion on the plight of the Rohingya people which was shot down by Parliament, to question Malaysia's seriousness on the matter.

The motion was submitted by PKR's Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, he said.

He also pointed out Amanah's Kuala Terengganu MP Raja Kamarul Bahrin Raja Ahmad Shah tabled a motion on Nov 22 calling for Parliament to condemn the violence against the Rohingya.

This motion was also rejected by the Dewan Rakyat secretariat.

"If we are serious about the Rohingya issue, then why did Parliament reject a motion about it?" he asked on Twitter.

Malek said there have been international resolutions on the Rohingya issue by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, European Union Parliament in 2013 and the United States of America Congress in 2014 but to no avail.

"Two serious action that can be taken in the Rohingya issue - condemn Myanmar by cutting diplomatic ties and defend refugees by ratifying the UN convention (on refugees).

"Is Najib willing to do so?" he asked, referring to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

PM joins solidarity rally

This comes after Najib and top Umno leaders stood shoulder-to-shoulder with PAS leaders in a 10,000-strong gathering in Kuala Lumpur in solidarity with the Rohingya community.

Najib said Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi refused to meet Foreign Minister Anifah Aman on the matter.

Myanmar today said it will send an official complaint over Putrajaya's actions on the issue, while several demonstrations have been held in Myanmar against Najib.

PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail yesterday urged the government to grant the Rohingya refugee status and to use its position on the United Nations security council to push for action.

This follows reports of mass killings in the Rakhine state of Myanmar, a coastal state next to the Bay of Bengal where the Rohingya minority resides.

The Myanmar government have refused to recognise the community as citizens, despite them claiming residence in Myanmar for generations.

The government refutes claims that the military is behind the violence, and blames local militants.