A Correspondent:
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim yesterday said Malaysia is concerned over the burden placed on Bangladesh due to hosting enormous numbers of forcibly displaced Rohingyas.
“On the regional issues, of course, we are concerned with the burden placed on Bangladesh on having to cater for enormous numbers of Rohingyas,” he told a joint press conference with Bangladesh Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in Putrajaya.
The Malaysian premier said securing peace in Myanmar is of course a great priority, along with immediate humanitarian assistance for the suffering first, the refugees, and also the victims of earthquakes.
He commended the Bangladeshi authorities for taking the initiative in multilateral forums in New York, Kolkata, and Malaysia, while the Malaysian Foreign Minister will coordinate a team with Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand to visit Myanmar in the next few weeks to ensure that peace is attained and the atrocity on some ethnic minorities and the people of Myanmar can be amicably resolved.
About the long relations between Malaysia and Bangladesh, Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia has placed Bangladesh as an important partner “because your workers have been instrumental too in working together and contributing to your development”.
That is why, he said, the Malaysian Home Affairs Minister with the Human Resources Minister have agreed on this Multiple Entry Visa facility, mainly to assist so that Bangladeshi workers can meet their families and feel secure in their jobs.
“You have made some proposals and were given priority, particularly to assist the stranded workers,” he said.
“We have continued to have energy cooperation with Petronas, and with Axiata in the telecommunications sector. Now, we want to strengthen this into Halal, STEM, research, and semiconductors,” he added.
Terming Chief Adviser Prof Yunus a great friend of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim said during the transition years, Prof Yunus made remarkable progress in ensuring peace and security in Bangladesh, and is now continuing the collaboration to enhance relations both investment, trade, culture, and education with Malaysia.
“He is known to this country for his indefatigable work to secure a position and a place for the underprivileged and the poor including microcredit and also education at the Albukhary International University in Kedah.”
The Malaysian prime minister said they were probably one of the first official delegations to stop over in Dhaka to show commitment to their friends, to ensure that Bangladesh, a great country with enormous potential and a great friend of Malaysia, can secure peace and promote progress and development for their people.
