Amid growing public debate over the Rohingya community in Malaysia, a Facebook page named Rohingya Growing Together has posted an emotional open letter appealing to Malaysians for compassion and understanding.
In the post, the group wrote that Rohingyas “didn’t cross borders for a better life”, but did so to survive.
‘All we ask is to exist’
The post, which was shared on Facebook, carried the caption:
“Rohingyas didn’t cross borders for a better life. We crossed them to survive. All we ask is to exist.”
The accompanying letter, titled “A Letter Written in Tears”, was addressed to “the kind hearts of Malaysia”, the Prime Minister, and Malaysians who have offered them shelter.
In the letter, the group said the Rohingya people did not choose their circumstances, adding that they left their homeland because staying allegedly meant death.
Thanked Malaysia for giving them shelter
The group also expressed gratitude to Malaysia, saying the country became a place of safety when they had nowhere else to go.
Malaysia became our breath when we had none left. Your land held us when our own land burned us,” the letter read.
The group acknowledged the frustration felt by some Malaysians and said they understood the weight they carry as “guests” in the country.
They also urged members of their own community to be respectful, grateful, and to honour the country that has sheltered them.
‘Please do not see us as a burden’
In the letter, the group said that behind every Rohingya person is a painful story involving loss, displacement, and families who were forced to flee.
They added that many of them cannot return home, as there is allegedly no safe place for them to go back to.
We are not asking for much. Only to not be forgotten. Only to exist,” the letter stated.
The group then appealed to the government and Malaysians not to see them as a burden before seeing them as human beings.
“We are mothers, fathers, children. We are people who have already lost everything once. Please do not let us lose hope too,” it wrote.
Post sparks discussion online
The post has since gained attention online, drawing mixed reactions from netizens.
Some expressed sympathy towards the Rohingya community, saying that no one should be denied basic humanity regardless of nationality or background.
However, others raised concerns over issues such as undocumented migration, public resources, and law enforcement, which have long been part of the wider debate surrounding refugees in Malaysia.
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