In comparison, a seek for” Palestine migrants in Malaysia” on TikTok does not turn up such negative attitudes. The Palestinian cause is often the subject of the videos, as are informal interviews with Malaysian residents.
What appears to be a distinction between how Malaysians view Rohingya and Israeli refugees has been highlighted in at least two Reddit fibers. ” Why do Malaysians put so much effort into helping Palestinians, when in your own region, the Rohingya … faced a considerable amount ( of ) xenophobia in Malaysia” one asked.
Protesters have also gotten a heads-up. Asylum Access Malaysia’s Ms. Lubna Sheikh Ghazali claimed that the nation supported the Palestinian cause but appeared to have “double requirements” when it came to Rohingya migrants.
At a animal rights conference on March 19, she was quoted by Free Malaysia Today as saying,” We seem to have shared memory and are careful about who deserves safety.”
According to UNHCR images as of May this month, Malaysia hosts about 189, 340 refugees and hospital- applicants.
A person who crosses a foreign borders in search of safety frequently needs to apply to become recognized as a immigrant, which in Malaysia’s event is indicated by their Humanitarian card.
Asylum applicants are those who intend to apply for or are awaiting a decision regarding this demand. Not every hospital person will eventually become recognized as a refugee.
Some 88 per cent of migrants and prison- seeking in Malaysia are from Myanmar, including around 109, 230 Rohingyas. The remaining are from 50 different locations, including Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and Syria.
There are at least 620 Arab refugees and hospital- seeking in Malaysia, according to UNHCR figures, although some studies have indicated there could be as many as 2, 500 of them in the nation, with 30 per cent of these being kids.
Despite that, Malaysia is never a member to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and its associated 1967 method, meaning migrants cannot operate lawfully or go to state institutions.
Instead, refugees are categorized as undocumented or illegal immigrants under the Immigration Act and rely on non-governmental organizations ( NGO ) for financial assistance, such as the Malaysia-based Refugee Emergency Fund.
The UNHCR card does not offer any additional financial advantages, despite offering a 50 % discount on foreigner fees for refugees receiving care at public hospitals.
Diverse Therapy
However, a bipartisan political party on migrant policy demanded that the government issue a” Unique Pass” for all Palestinians in Malaysia to let them transitory stay and employment as the Israel-Hamas war broke out in Gaza near the end of 2023.
The government of Malaysia, which has long supported the Palestinian cause, then announced that it would pay the tuition for Palestinian students attending public universities while offering discounts of 10 % to 100 % to those attending private institutions.
A 2023 initiative to allow Rohingya refugees to attend the International Islamic University of Malaysia was only made possible by a grant from the Qatar Fund for Development. In addition, authorities ‘ raids on illegal Rohingya settlements and businesses are frequently covered in the media.
Dr. Benjamin Loh, a senior lecturer at Taylor’s University in media and communication, stated to CNA that Palestinians in Malaysia are educated people who will fight for their land in the Middle East one day, not as refugees as they are perceived by their official status.
” But for the Rohingyas, there is this rhetoric that they are considered a low- class type of migrant”, he said, arguing that unlike the Palestinians, Rohingya refugees are seen as stateless people who ran from their country.  ,
They are therefore viewed as having little value because they only perform low-wage jobs. As a result of that, there is this sort of a very xenophobic view towards them, because they’re not seen as being beneficial to the country”, said Dr Loh.  ,