In light of increasing xenophobic and hateful comments being made towards Rohingya refugees in the country, Malaysians have been urged not to further fuel the fire with misinformation.
The call was made by Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Ismail, who held a press conference to address the issue after several NGOs condemned the wave of hate directed towards Rohingyas.
Took up only 0.02% of crime rate
According to Khalid, only 0.02% of the country’s overall crime rate was attributed to Rohingyas, where a total of 89 people were took part in criminal activities from 2024 until today.
He also reminded the public to refrain from spreading misinformation that could lead to public disorder and racial tensions.
I am concerned that certain quarters may take advantage of the situation to make negative remarks, when there are also positive aspects that can be shared and acknowledged.
“I hope we can lower the temperature on this issue so that we can maintain a more peaceful and harmonious environment while facing the challenges before us,” he said as quoted by NST.
Khalid also assured that police will not hesitate to take action against those who break the country’s laws, regardless of who they are.
International issue
Khalid also said the Rohingya refugee issue was an international matter as Malaysia had previously come into arrangements with other countries under which refugees would be resettled abroad, with about 7,000 to 8,000 annually sent to third countries.
However, some of those countries have since refused to take in the refugees, leaving Malaysia with no choice but to house a sizeable Rohingya population.
Based on data by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), around 215,600 refugees and asylum-seekers were registered in Malaysia as of February 2026.
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