ICC Note: Myanmar’s security forces face danger from Malaysians aspiring to join Rohingya militants. Many South Asians are eager to join the fight in Myanmar in order to retaliate against the government forces who were accused for religious persecution against Rohingya Muslims. Meanwhile, Malaysian police have said that they will monitor for possible Islamic State recruits who want to fight Myanmar’s government in the name of terror.
09/15/2017 Malaysia (Free Malaysia Today) – It is possible for Malaysians aspiring to join Rohingya insurgents in their fight against government forces to enter Myanmar through underground channels from Bangladesh and Thailand, FMT has learned.
This followed a recent report by a conflict think tank which said many Southeast Asians, particularly Indonesians and Malaysians, want to help the Rohingya in their armed resistance against Myanmar’s security forces.
Malaysia’s counter-terrorism police division meanwhile has not discounted the possibility that some Malaysians want to participate in waging “jihad” against the alleged oppressors of the Rohingya.
“People intent on sneaking into Myanmar from the Bangladesh side have to take a boat to cross the strait,” Mohd Rafiq Khairul Bashar, chairman of the Ethnic Rohingya Committee of Arakan Malaysia here, told FMT.
“They have to start from Sabrang or Teknaf in Bangladesh and cross the waters into Maungdaw, a town in Rakhine state in Myanmar.
“From Maungdaw, it’s only two to three hours’ drive to the conflict areas.”
Rafiq however urged Malaysians to refrain from doing this as it could be against the law.
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