Human rights groups said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s support for Palestinian refugees was commendable but stressed the need for Malaysia to address shortcomings in the handling of other refugee communities.
Adrian Pereira, executive director of the North-South Initiative, was referencing Anwar’s rebuke of those uncomfortable with the presence of Palestinian refugees in the country as undeserving of being called Malaysians.
Anwar’s Aug 25 comment was made in response to backlash his government received from some quarters after 127 Palestinians arrived at the Royal Malaysian Air Forces’s Subang air base on Aug 16 for medical treatment.
“While I agree with the need for a strong statement, we should take a step back and reflect on what we’ve failed to do, especially since we haven’t ratified several UN conventions,” Pereira told FMT.
“Anwar should walk the talk and ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention.”
The 1951 Refugee Convention defines the term “refugee” and outlines their rights and the international standards of treatment they are entitled to receive.
Currently, 149 UN member states are signatories to the convention, its 1967 Protocol, or both, while 44 others are not.
Political analyst Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani said ratifying the convention would not only affirm Malaysia’s commitment to supporting refugees, but also address criticisms of a perceived double standard in how the country treats different refugee groups.
“Doing so would enable the country to formally recognise refugees and their right to work,” he told FMT.
Former Klang MP Charles Santiago said he fully supports the provision of aid to Palestinian refugees but urged the government to extend similar support to other vulnerable communities, such as the Rohingyas.
“We need to acknowledge what’s happening to vulnerable groups globally and show our support by offering resources, including bringing them to Malaysia,” Santiago told FMT.
An effective communication strategy
Pereira also criticised the government’s poor communication on its peace missions, noting that while Malaysia has a good track record, it lacks a clear strategy to explain its actions.
“We’ve sent peace missions all over Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa, yet the Madani administration has failed to communicate the frameworks behind these missions,” he said.
Santiago warned that Anwar’s failure to properly explain the position of refugees could worsen the existing “refugee phobia” in the country.
“The government needs to educate the people on these issues, and it also needs to explain its position on refugees clearly through media platforms,” he said.
Minimal political backlash
Separately, Asrul said while this issue may be polarising in urban seats, where voters are already inclined to support PH, the political backlash for Anwar would be minimal as these voters are still likely to vote for PH in the next general election.
He said PKR’s partners in PH understand this and are unlikely to challenge the prime minister on the subject to ensure PH retains power after the election.
Asrul said Anwar’s strong stance on Palestinian refugees could even boost his popularity in Malay rural and semi-urban seats, where he is seen as “walking the talk”.
“These are the seats Anwar needs to capture from the more Islamist and nationalist opposition in the next general election,” he said.