politics
'We are not wanted anywhere': Rohingya face fierce new wave of hostility in Malaysia
Not long ago, Malaysia's then-prime minister urged his country to protect Rohingya Muslims - a stateless minority that has fled violence and discrimination in Myanmar for decades.
TL;DR
- Rohingya children are barred from Malaysian public schools and attend vulnerable community-run learning centers.
- Rohingya schools have been raided, and students are instructed to keep a low profile to avoid attacks.
- Hostility is fueled by social media and public sentiment, leading to evictions and detentions.
- Rohingya refugees feel increasingly unwelcome in Malaysia, contrasting with earlier years of hospitality.
- The Rohingya are denied citizenship in Myanmar and have faced severe persecution, including ethnic cleansing and genocide.
- Malaysia, a major host country for Rohingya, has seen its welcome wear thin, with anti-Rohingya rhetoric becoming more mainstream.
- Refugees are sometimes scapegoated for domestic issues like the rising cost of living.