Combat oppression of Rohingya in right manner - Reezal Merican

Efforts to combat the atrocities against the Rohingya minority in Rakhine state, Myanmar must be carried out in the right manner, namely, one which leads to a complete solution to the problem.

Foreign Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said an isolated solution for the ethnic group should not be pursued as it might impact on national security.

"We must see that this country, countries that have laws, civilised lives are lives based on the rule of law. Somebody breaks the law, does not mean it legitimises us to also do the same. So, we have to do the right thing.

"As such, when we combat oppression, we combat it in a form which brings a more total solution. We cannot fight terrorism, extremism with another terrorism. We cannot become another terrorist in order to fight terrorism...cannot, it is the wrong way," he told Bernama on Sunday.

He said this when met after closing the Kepala Batas Parliamentary Constituency-level Town Hall: Discourse on Sustainability of Security and Harmony (The Challenges of the Radical and Extremism Ideology in Malaysia) programme here.

Reezal Merican said this when commenting on attempts by some people to perform 'jihad' (holy war) in the Rakhine state following the atrocities on the Rohingya community, which was spread by the Daesh militant group.

Last Sept 17, Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division (E8) principal assistant director Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay confirmed the matter and said the issue was seen as the 'trump card' of the group to influence the public, to subsequently recruit new members for terrorism activities.

In the meantime, the deputy minister said the people must understand more deeply the importance of opposing whatever threat against national security, adding that the task of looking after national security, peace and harmony rested not only on the shoulders of the security forces but the co-operation of all.

-- BERNAMA