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A Malaysian Islamic preacher has urged his own community to extend the same compassion they show oppressed Muslims abroad to Rohingya refugees living in Malaysia.

Firdaus Wong Wai Hung, president of Multiracial Reverted Muslims (MRM), made the remarks at the New Muslim Community Conference, where he urged Malaysians not to strip Rohingya refugees of their humanity.

“Even prisoners of war have their rights. You should provide them with food,” he said, noting that stateless status does not extinguish a person’s fundamental dignity.

Wong drew a direct line between the dehumanisation of Rohingya refugees in Malaysia and historical atrocities — including the Nazi treatment of Jews and the ongoing situation in Palestine — and asked why Malaysian Muslims, who are vocal about injustice overseas, apply a different standard to refugees living among them.

He acknowledged that Rohingya do not hold the same legal rights as Malaysian citizens, but said that distinction applies to policy, not to humanity.

Wong also noted that even within Islamic tradition, the rights of prisoners of war — to food, shelter, and protection from torture — are clearly established, and that refugees deserve no less.

Wong’s remarks did not emerge in a vacuum.

From Sympathy to Deportation

Public sentiment toward Rohingya refugees in Malaysia has reached what human rights groups describe as a historic low — and the government has moved with it.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced an agreement with Myanmar’s military-backed administration to deport approximately 5,000 refugees.

The first phase, involving nearly 1,500 individuals, is scheduled to begin on 29 September.

Amnesty International Malaysia and Human Rights Watch have condemned the plan, warning that returning refugees to an active conflict zone puts lives at direct risk.

Not everyone accepts the parallel Wong drew.

Critics argue that the Palestinian cause involves state-sponsored occupation and ethnic cleansing, while the Rohingya situation in Malaysia is a question of immigration law and national resources — and that conflating the two is a false equivalence.

On the ground, the situation has grown more precarious by the month.

In July, over 100 Rohingya who had gathered outside the UNHCR headquarters in Kuala Lumpur — many recently evicted from their homes in villages such as Kuala Muda in Penang — were detained by immigration authorities.

Informal learning centres for refugee children have shut down, and families are in hiding.

@beritapertiwi2

Beza isu Rohingya dan Palestin di Malaysia Pendedahan mengenai lambakan 'pelarian' Rohingya bukan bermaksud rakyat Malaysia anti atau tidak bersimpati dengan penindasan yang berlaku terhadap etnik itu. Warga Palestin tidak menceroboh sempadan Malaysia sesuka hati dan kehadiran mereka di negara juga tidak ramai. Isu yang dibangkitkan ialah lambakan warga etnik Rohingya di Malaysia yang menceroboh sempadan perairan secara berterusan dan ingin menetap di negara ini sehingga berpuluh tahun. Langgan Pertiwi+ untuk tonton video penuh: https://tvpertiwi.com/2026/09/09/lambakan-pendatang-haram-pelarian-rohingya-penjajahan-senyap-di-malaysia/

♬ original sound – TV Pertiwi

The Online War Against Rohingya

Online, the hostility has been relentless.

Social media platforms have seen a surge in anti-refugee content, driven in part by fabricated statistics, doctored videos, and false claims that the Rohingya are seeking citizenship or voting rights.

A viral post falsely blaming the community for mishandling cattle slaughter waste during Aidiladha accelerated the backlash further.

Some Malaysians have drawn a distinction — arguing that refugee children, many of whom are without schooling and visible on the streets, deserve protection even where sympathy for adults has run dry.

That position has found little traction in the broader public conversation.

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) has warned repeatedly against the dehumanisation of the community.

The warnings have had limited effect.

@wenbindarrenlee

Mereka dah menimbulkan banyak masalah social kepada masyarakat, tidur tepi jalan, berak tepi jalan , kencing tepi jalan. Siapa nak menyelesaikan masalah masalah ini ? *semalam ada seorang individu dakwa dia pegawai dari kdn, memberi nasihat kepada kita, jangan upload video ini. Kalau tidak, kami akan kena tindakan undang undang. Selepas bincang dengan saudara firduas Pak Pen Firdaus , kami tetap upload. Kami harap ada pihak boleh menyelesaikan masalah ini yang telah lama menganggu penduduk di sekitar kita. Kami tidak salah siapa-siapa, tetapi kami berharap ada pihak yang bantu untuk selesaikan masalah ini.

♬ original sound – 有事找文彬 wen bin

READ MORE: Rohingya Refugees Keep Getting Framed By Fake News – Why Do We Keep Falling For It?

READ MORE: Amnesty Condemns Malaysia: You Can’t Protect Refugees By Rounding Them Up

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