Kudos Malaysia for first step in addressing Rohingya crisis

Now Malaysia has decided that they we will take the Rohingya and Bangladeshis stranded at sea in for refuge and assistance, and so has Indonesia and Thailand (though a bit later).

It’s a good and compassionate move although it came later than it should. It means that Malaysia is after all human and we will help those in need.

However, it doesn't mean that this will set a precedence, that the country will open its gates to anyone who comes.

I have no problem with Malaysia receiving and accepting refugees. I would agree wholeheartedly even if we decide to be a signatory of the refugee convention.

However, it isn't as simple as just saying we will now accept refugees. Before the country does that, we need to set up policies that will allow for refugees to be placed here.

First thing is that we as Malaysians need to change our perception that harbouring refugees would mean an increase in social problems.

Remember how our government decided to give refuge to Bosnians when the war broke out in the former Yugoslavia? Nothing negative came out of that, right?

That worked out well because the government thought things through properly and had a plan for when these people were accepted into the country.

I am also very happy that our foreign minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman made the decision to meet with the Myanmar government to voice our concern,

emphasising to them that we are the current chair of Asean and how concerned the rest of the Asean community is regarding the matter of the Rohingyas.

It is a first positive step to ensure that our regional collective isn't just a lame duck that only exists to give government officials from several countries an expensive holidays together.

We also need to realise that Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia agreeing to harbour the 7,000 or so people stranded at sea is not a permanent solution to the problem.

This is only a short-term fix that needs a two-pronged approach – in the short term, to address the immediate crisis, and in the long term, to solve the oppression happening.

So let's make sure that the motion is set to now solve the long term problem and that momentum will continue and not stop prematurely in this process.

I like the fact that when the people band together and voice our concern, the authorities listen and decide to do the right thing. And this is exactly what happened in this case.

Good job Malaysia and Malaysians in being a leader and taking the first positive steps to making a difference (even if it took a lot of pressure to finally do it!). – May 22, 2015.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.