Penang monitoring Rohingya settlements after Penaga relocation, says chief minister
GEORGE TOWN, July 28 — The Penang government is monitoring areas with sizeable Rohingya communities following the voluntary relocation of 126 people from a temporary settlement in Penaga, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said today.
Chow said the move was not a government enforcement operation, but had been initiated by the Rohingya community, with transport arranged for them to travel to Kuala Lumpur to seek assistance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
“At the moment, these operations are not conducted by the government,” he told a press conference after visiting the Mi Equipment factory in Bayan Lepas here.
“In this case, what happened was the people wanted to move and seek assistance from UNHCR, so they left and went over to Kuala Lumpur,” he added.
When asked whether the group had left voluntarily, Chow said he understood that transport had been arranged to facilitate the relocation.
Police previously said the relocation last weekend was assisted and coordinated by the National Unity Department, the state government, the National Security Council, local community representatives and Rohingya representatives.
Chow said the state government was aware of concerns raised by residents over the settlement’s social and economic impact on the surrounding area.
“We have heard from the local residents on their views on the presence of the Rohingya community in their area, which has had an impact on the local social and economic environment,” he said.
“The Rohingya community understood the feelings of the local people and chose to relocate elsewhere,” he added.
Chow said there were several other areas in Penang with Rohingya communities, including parts of Bagan, and that the state government would continue monitoring the situation.
He said complaints about Rohingya settlements were not frequent and were generally channelled through Village Community Management Councils (MPKK) or the police rather than directly to the state government.
Chow also echoed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s earlier remarks that everyone in the country must comply with Malaysian laws.
“We have laws in this country. We cannot allow actions that affect the lives of the people, obstruct traffic and create other problems,” he said.
“Those who come here must respect the law and use the proper channels.”
Chow said UNHCR should closely monitor the situation, as a further increase in the refugee population could create greater management challenges.
