Dec 4 (Bernama) — Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today urged international bodies and ASEAN community countries to take action to stop the atrocities and oppression against the ethnic Rohingyas in Myanmar.

The Prime Minister urged the United Nations (UN) and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to not only witness the cruelty taking place but instead take action against those responsible.

“OIC, please don’t just see, do something…UN, world cannot just sit and watch genocide, it is our problem. Hundreds of thousands died in Rwanda and Bosnia, the world just watch and acted too late, this time we are not willing to wait and watch,” he said at the Solidarity for Rohingyas gathering at the Titiwangsa Stadium here.

Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, UMNO and PAS leaders as well as over 20,000 people, including Rohingyas residing in Malaysia.

Najib also urged Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo to hold a peaceful assembly with the people of that country as a sign of championing for the fate of the Rohingya community.

“Don’t protest against Ahok (Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama) only, the Rohingyas must be fought for, they can rally in Jakarta, we want to show we are not pleased, we must be civilised, safeguard lives and properties, this is our responsibility as part of the mandatory objectives (maqasid) of shariah. This is a must,” he said.

Najib, who is also UMNO president said Malaysia would continue to act by using whatever channels to put pressure on the government of Myanmar until the Rohingya Muslims were free from tyranny.

He said the Rohingya issue so gripped the hearts of Muslims in this country because Islam was insulted while human rights were torn apart.

“Today Muslims and non-Muslims declare our stand firmly that we want to tell the government of Myanmar, tell Aung San Suu Kyi, enough is enough,” he said, adding that Malaysia did not want to interfere in the affairs of that country.

He said his presence at the gathering was not to threaten the government of Myanmar but to defend not only Islam but also human rights.

“They (Myanmar) use only one article in ASEAN, which is we cannot intervene in another country’s affairs, they don’t read other articles on human rights. ASEAN also defends human rights, are they blind? Don’t interpret as you please.

“When there are injustice, cruelty, people being murdered, burned alive,raped, beaten…are these not violating human rights?,” he said while questioning the meaning of the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the country’s leader.

The Prime Minister said he, as the head of state, representing 31 million Malaysians, could not ‘turn a blind eye’ and remained silent on the atrocities that occurred.

Najib said today’s gathering also made history because the people had set aside political differences in the name of Islam and unity of ummah.

“We have UMNO and PAS in this gathering. We can disagree, but in the matter of Islam, the ummah, it’s compulsory, this is not politics,” he said.

— BERNAMA