LETTER | The escalating wave of hatred, misinformation, and intimidation directed at the Rohingya community in Malaysia is both alarming and deeply shameful.

Across social media platforms, false claims portraying Rohingya refugees as demanding citizenship, political power, or territorial autonomy have been deliberately manufactured and amplified to incite fear and hostility.

The consequences are no longer confined to the digital sphere. Community leaders have reported receiving threats, personal information and home addresses are being circulated online, and families are living in fear of harassment and violence.

Such actions put already vulnerable people at grave risk and have no place in a society that prides itself on compassion and justice.

Let us be clear: the Rohingya did not come to Malaysia seeking privilege. They came seeking safety.

They are survivors of one of the most well-documented campaigns of persecution in recent history: forced displacement, systematic discrimination, mass atrocities, and violence that compelled hundreds of thousands to flee their homes in Myanmar.

To respond to people who escaped such horrors with mockery, threats, and dehumanisation is a betrayal of the very values of humanity and decency that Malaysians have long claimed as our own.

While Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, this does not place the country outside the framework of international responsibility.

Malaysia remains bound by a range of international human rights obligations through treaties and conventions it has ratified, including commitments to protect human dignity, prevent discrimination, and uphold the rights and welfare of children.

These obligations require that all persons within our borders be treated with humanity and protected from violence, intimidation, and abuse.

Equally troubling is the growing normalisation of hate speech against refugees. Public discourse has become saturated with narratives that portray an entire community as criminals, invaders, or threats based solely on their identity.

Such rhetoric strips people of their humanity and creates an environment where discrimination and violence become acceptable.

History has repeatedly shown that when societies tolerate the dehumanisation of vulnerable groups, the consequences can be devastating. We cannot claim ignorance of where such hatred leads.

This moment demands leadership and responsibility. Public officials, political actors, media organisations, and social media platforms must reject and challenge misinformation rather than profit from outrage and fear.

Law enforcement agencies must take seriously threats made against refugees and those who work with them.

Most importantly, Malaysians must resist efforts to pit communities against one another through lies and scapegoating.

The frustrations many people feel over economic hardship and social challenges will not be resolved by targeting those who possess the least power and protection.

Ultimately, this is not merely a question of law, policy, or refugee status. It is a question of who we are.

Are we a society that extends compassion to those fleeing persecution, or one that responds to suffering with cruelty? Are we willing to stand by while families live in fear because of who they are?

The measure of a nation is not how it treats the powerful, but how it treats the vulnerable.

At a time when hatred is being amplified, we call on all Malaysians to choose humanity over hostility, truth over misinformation, and solidarity over fear.

Endorsed by:

Beyond Borders
Tenaganita
North South Initiative
Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor
Centre for Independent Journalism
Geutanyoe Aceh
Women’s Peace Network
Youth Empowerment Support
Suaram
Instant Cafe Theatre
SIS Forum (Malaysia)
UNDI18
ALTSEAN-Burma
Asia Justice and Rights
Sarawak Women for Women
Family Frontiers
Pusat Komas
Bersih
Freedom Film Network
Parti Sosialis Malaysia
Iman Research
Asylum Access Malaysia
Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.