‘Myanmar agrees to take back 3 lakh Rohingya from Bangladesh’

Myanmar has agreed to repatriate approximately 3,00,000 Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh and another 5,000 currently living in Malaysia following negotiations with Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Wednesday (July 29).

He addressed the development as part of the repatriation effort, the English-language Malaysian daily The Star reported. 

“We negotiated because it is important to maintain good relations with other countries. These matters require careful diplomacy,” he said in his speech when meeting voters in Chennah.

Anwar stressed that Malaysia would not tolerate Rohingya refugees disrupting public order, saying that he had instructed the Inspector-General of Police to take firm action against those causing disturbances in public places.

Anwar said calls for the Rohingya to be deported had previously been difficult to implement because Myanmar had refused to accept them.

The Prime Minister also urged the Rohingya community in Malaysia to respect local laws and avoid causing inconvenience to the public.

“This is our country. Malaysia is our country. Others should not disrupt it. That is why we have to be firm,” he added.